Congratulations to the graduates of 2014 especially to my former students. I’m writing this since a lot of you have successfully finished your studies and this is something that I wish someone had told me when I graduated from college.
A lot of you might be thinking that after college you just get a job, earn money and start living your own life. I’m telling you that there is more to that than what you expect. Here are some lessons that I would like you to remember always.
1. Keep on learning
When you start working, you will surely feel that you are not learning anything new since most of the work that you’ll be doing is static. Meaning there are set rules that should be followed to achieve results. It becomes repetitive and will surely stagnate your mind. Keep on learning things that are outside of your work and surely it will keep your mind as sharp as in your college days.
2. Learn/keep a hobby
This is connected to the first lesson that I’ve mentioned and this is something that I’ve found useful to make me happy despite all the stress from work. I do magic, I draw and I cook so that I could have a creative outlet that keeps me away from the repetitive nature of work. I used to do boxing (until it became too expensive for me) to release a lot of stress too. If you don’t have a hobby or sport better learn a new one. Surely it will make you feel a more well-rounded person since you do something else rather than work.
3. Keep your body healthy
I bet than within a year of working most of you will have a lot of unhealthy habits. Most of you will drink or smoke more or perhaps most of you will lose or gain too much weight. I always find it funny that most of my classmates have been gaining weight and I am the only one who have managed to maintain a more or less healthier lifestyle. Though I don’t have a regular sport I always choose to do something that would make my body exert more effort than usual. Seriously if you’re able to keep a healthy body you wouldn’t age as much.
4. Keep in touch and make new friends
Surely you won’t see most of your school friends after graduation so keep in touch with them a lot. They will serve as a support group for you in this harsh adult world. Also despite that the workplace may be full of scumbags but surely there are people who would make good friends. It’s hard to go to a place everyday when you’re sole reason is just to make money. It’s always better to always have someone who you could share (not the money) things with.
5. There are people who may not be as smart as you but you’ll have to follow them. (Enough said on this one)
6. There are people who are really better than you but don’t let them discourage you.
7. It’s the results that count not your effort.
8. No matter how good you are, the way your team sees you counts more.
9. They are called bosses for a reason but there are also those who are real leaders.
10. Never be afraid to fail
I didn’t elaborate on the previous items mentioned since I think most of them are self-explanatory but this item is something that I think most of you should know. Failure is a part of life and by failing we learn to do better in the future. Trying and failing is not bad, giving up on trying is. Failure builds character and character is something that makes a person a greater being. To end this I’ll just quote Alfred from Batman Begins “Why do we fall Master Bruce? So that we could learn to pick up ourselves again.”
Hope you learned something and you could apply this in your new life as adults who are part of this harsher world.
A Magically Ordinary Life 