College is supposed to teach you how to prepare for the real world, and it certainly has. The thing is, I don’t think the classes helped much at all. Don’t get me wrong, they were enlightening and inspiring and educational. But the lessons learned from my classes and homework and tests and projects were there to teach me more about myself as an individual. They helped me to understand what drives me, what makes me tick. Those lessons are far more valuable than the pages in a book, because they have grounded me, helped me understand who I am.
Of course, the relationships are what really matter. The funny thing is, it doesn’t matter whether a person passed by your life in a fleeting moment or has become your closest friend. It’s the shared experiences that make you who you are, and that make me who I am.
When I first stepped foot on this campus seven years ago, I had no idea that where I am now is where I would be. But am I happy with where I’m at? Yes. Do I have regrets? Yes, and I’m willing to admit it. But, the lessons have been more poignant and bitter and sweet.
I was getting ready to go to the economics lab in the JFSB a few days ago. But the weather was so beautiful; it was sunny, and the birds were chirping. There were a couple guys playing catch. I put down my books and went to play. Please do not do that every day; you will get terrible grades. My point is life, and college, are meant to be lived. Be happy, make friendships, learn from everything around you.
Because when you leave, the mountains will never look the same again.
Ee Chien Chua
Singapore
