Ever since we are born, our life begins as a painting that continues to redefine, beautify and modify itself as we age. The interesting thing is that the artwork continues till our last breath. That’s where the painter retires but the painting remains as a timeless legacy. It either lives on as a lesson or as an inspiration.
Student life is one of the most important phases of our life. A better way to say this in arts’ language is, student life is that part of the painting where the strokes have to be delicate yet free and beautiful.
It is like painting the moon on your canvas. The more circular, the more perfect. But it is also about knowing that there’s a black sky behind that moon.
As students, all of us are crazy about winning. In today’s fast-driven tech world, only the fast-paced and proactive wins. But it’s not always a win-win situation. It can’t be. That is what we call life.
In a way, all of our life is lived learning. Everyday, we either learn a lesson or earn a win. But specifically mentioning academic life, here are the five primary ingredients that make your academic-ride worthwhile.
Spoiler: The last one is the most crucial, like a ventilator to someone on their death-bed. Exaggerated? I get it.
1. The Dream To Be Someone: A soul that drives the direction of our student life.
This is the first ingredient. Remember the Grade-1 you that wanted to be so much. The most appealing part of dreaming is that in your dreams, you can be anyone. Just like I wanted to be a doctor, then a lawyer and then finally I ended up being an engineer.
The second most beautiful part about dreaming is that you never know where you end up. Sometimes, you end up being who you dreamt of and sometimes you become someone you never thought of!
In both cases, life is amazing. It is a matter of perception. It is rewarding to see how our story ends up to be. Therefore, you must never let go of your dreams.
They are important! This ingredient is important. It blows life into the hope of a good future.
2. The Desire to Win: A beacon that lights up everything.
Dreams are followed by desires. Desire to win and in most cases, desire to win immediately. However, life is not a pack of instant-noodles. I have seen people who have worked decades of their lives to realize their dreams. It is easy to dream, but hard to make it real. What’s important is that the fire shouldn’t ever die. The right desires light up the darkest nights of our lives. This is the ingredient that not only helps us achieve our dreams but helps us understand the impact that they carry.
What do I want to do when I become a doctor/ an engineer/ psychologist/ athlete etc.? What impact does it carry? What desire will my baton hold when I pass it to my descendants? What’s to learn in my story? All of this feeds the desire. The right desires direct the right dreams!
3. The Taste of Making Blunders: A place where goals are redefined.
This is where most of the dreams meet their death. This is where the desire fades. Because this is where life begins to happen. Everything is cool unless dark settles in. Everything is fine until the sun shines bright on your face and you keep winning medals.
But that is an amateur’s definition of perfection. Perfection begins when you start making mistakes. Because with every mistake, you’re polished and molded for the next level of your journey. Every mistake makes you better. It tells you what not to do, which is a win as you become an adult.
10/10 in a math test won’t teach you what 2/10 teaches you. It humbles you. It gives you space to reflect and redefine what needs your focus. It gives you time to WIN which is again a win. Therefore, in a world that makes you believe that mistakes are for losers, be someone who owns them and stands out!
4. The Courage to Accept Everything: A power that makes you stronger and softer.
Okay fine, I also got 60/100 in a math exam once in my life. I tried my utmost to score 100 in another and still got two less than 100. So, what? Did my life end? Did it stop? No.
This fact is what makes acceptance my personal favorite ingredient. It stands as the deciding factor of our journeys here, specifically the academic journey.
I got medals for four straight years and then one year I didn’t. I hated the feeling of sitting at the back on our Annual Day at high school when all the distinction holders sat at the front. But hating it didn’t fly me back to the front. The fact was I was at the back and I needed a reboot.
Then what? The next year I was there again, on the front bench among the top ten distinction holders of my high school. The point is, acceptance is like a magic ball, it bounces back to hit a bigger height. It re-aligns the focus. It tells you sitting and crying over failing an exam won’t solve the problem. Studying it well will.
Those who use this ingredient are the winners! Acceptance is the driving force of conquerors. You made a mistake? You failed? Accept and re-appear. I assure you of your win. Because taking time is okay. Resting is okay. But giving up is never an option except if you wish to look back later at a life full of regrets!
5. The Ability to Keep Yourself Going: The final verdict we follow for life.
Congratulations! You reached here for which I am proud of you. It is not only the fifth ingredient but the final level of the game which brings you the winner’s sword.
Reaching here is like stepping on the threshold which gives you the ability to see the blessing in every disguise, opportunity in every challenge and an eye to spot the light at the end of every tunnel. Reaching here enables you to fight anything.
Anyone who believes to grow through what they go though, wins. Anyone who pushes themselves through the dark and spark, wins. Anyone who stands up on the eighth time after failing for seven, wins.
Now that you have worn all the five infinity stones, you can change your story, not with a finger snap though.
Tutifyme believes in writing blogs that speak to a general audience. This we hope lives to be another feather on the cap. The importance lies in the fact that either way, we learn; about ourselves or people around us.