As I`m about to wrap up my undergraduate career, I've
started to reflect on the journey I have taken.
If I were to run into my future self I would recommend questioning everything.
Every day in academia, students are presented with new ideas, different
studies, data, and scientific finding that alter the way we think and make
decisions. I would recommend challenging myself to look more in depth at the information
put before me. Many times we tend to take a stance without really analyzing why
we are taking that particular side of the argument. I would encourage myself to
really look into the facts and take a different approach before siding with a particular
argument just because it is different or has a large following. Furthermore I
would inspire him to take full advantage of the people and resources that he is
surrounded with. So much can be learned and so many connections can be made,
you just have to go out and find them. Build these connections and work to keep
those relationships intact, there more important than you know.
I heard a motivation speaker say a t a commencement speech
once that humans have no meaning in life. That we`re the only species on the
planet that thinks the world should revolve around us and what we want. I would
advise myself to take this ideology to heart. Don’t waste your time stressing
out trying to find the meaning in your life and what you want. Find meaning in
the task that is presented in front of you each day, I think this is one of the
most important life lessons anyone could learn. Help others achieve their tasks
and educate as many people as possible. I think we all have an individual duty
to mankind to be educators. So many of us a have the opportunity to go to
school and obtain an education. It’s our duty to go out and share what we've
learned with the world.
I am extremely grateful to have been born into a family that
saw the value in education. They have given me a great gift. Personally I have
witnessed a 100% return on my investment. The man I am today is way different
then the man I was just four years ago. My education and experiences I have had
at this university have molded me into an individual I am proud to be. I know
who I am now, I know what I want out of life and the goals I want to
accomplish. However, there is so much more to learn in this life and I can’t
wait to absorb it all.
In closing, I would make sure that the past me knows that
mistakes are made along the way. These mistakes are part of the learning
process and that I real man holds himself accountable, and learns from his
mistakes. Don’t take the time to feel bad about your decision or try to blame
it on some extraneous factor, but man up and take the consequences handed down
to you. This is a long life we live many and there will be good times and bad,
but the one thing that is present at both times is a learning experience. Take
away what you can, expand, help others, and everything else just seems to work
its way out.
