dear future students,
In my short 22 years of life...I've gathered (and continue to add to) a reasonably sized list of lessons I have learned. They all have a story, if not many, to support them...but my hope is to share these things with you, have you absorb them, and then have them resurface one day when you need 'em.
so, without further babbling, and in no particular order...here is the list thus far:
1. often, not getting what you want means that you get something you want even more, later. try to be patient.
2. just be groovy to everyone. you never know who you are talking to, and how they might help you in the future. be kind and polite and just plain groovy to everyone.
3. in addition to being groovy to everyone, remember that there is something to learn from every person, interaction, and experience you have. maybe you'll learn something about a joint interest, maybe you'll observe a characteristic you'd like to aquire, maybe you'll learn something about yourself, or perhaps you'll learn something you don't want to do or be. but it's all an opportunity to learn and grow.
4. try to be strong when you are in pain, because it will be useful to you one day. it'll make you tougher, it'll let you relate to people down the road and help them get through that pain, too.
5. when someone's mad at you, stay super calm. do not let their emotions become yours...what other people say and do is their karma, how we respond is ours. in addition, when someone is angry at you try to understand where they are standing. you don't have to agree, but you do have to understand where they're coming from before you can begin mending. and usually, you have to make an effort to understand their side before you can even think about explaining yours.
when it comes time to make your case, be honest...even if it's hard. people usually appreciate honesty, and they appreciate and are often very responsive to a heartfelt and simple "I'm really very sorry about this, I see where the problem is, and would really like to take time now to solve this...would you help me to do that?"
6. be confident in yourself. if you are in a position where you have to downplay your strengths and play up the things you don't enjoy doing so much, it's not the right place for you. be confident that there is a place for you, a specific place, where you belong and are needed and can give back from all the experiences and knowledge you have gained.
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