So, as I’m about to graduate after studying a 5 year degree. 5 whole years. I decided to reflect back on everything that I’ve learned in these 5 years. I’ve definitely had highs and lows but in the end, I’m graduating really content with my university experience and everything I got out of it. I think I can say I’m a very different person, at least, I feel like a very different person.
So here are the 13 most important lessons I learned while at university.
1. You can never beat someone who actually likes what they do
So find something you enjoy. You have time right now to figure this out. When you enjoy what you do, you’ll find the drive to go above and beyond. It won’t even feel like work because you’ll want to do it.
I spent a lot of time observing successful people, both at uni and at work and I’ve been asking myself this same question for a while, why are some people so good at what they do? They’re passionate. When you’re passionate about what you do, you’ll dedicate extra hours to developing your skills in that area whilst also having fun. It’s not about intelligence, it’s not about luck or even how well connected you are, those extrinsic factors can only get you so far.
Intrinsic motivation is important, so focus your time on trying to find that skill set that actually brings you joy. It seems obvious, but I think too many people care too much about what other people think, whether that be your parents or friends or even the voice in your head that tells you what you should do. So don’t realise this when you’re 40 years old going through your mid life crisis, focus these years on really trying to find something you’re passionate about. The sooner you realise this, the more time you’ll have to pursue what you really love.
2. If something’s wrong, you’re probably right
Trust your gut and back your own decisions. When I dropped law back in first year, I was so unsure of myself. I considered sticking with it for a year just to be “sure”. But what was I expecting, for things to just fix itself? In hindsight, though a scary decision, it was most definitely the right one.
When something’s wrong, address it immediately. Solve your problems when they’re small. This applies to everything. Your academic life. Your professional life. Even your personal life. When something’s wrong, speak up. Not only will you be happier, but others will respect you more for being someone who backs yourself. Just remember, your life is yours to live now, either you decide what you want or someone else will.
3. It’s OK to feel overwhelmed, just fix your attitude
Attitude is everything! You’ll be surprised how far a can do attitude will get you. Being able to maintain a growth mindset even when things get difficult is a skill not many people have. But life, in my opinion, is truly a mental game. You just have to convince yourself that you can do it and you’re already half way there.
4. Imposter syndrome is real but maybe you’re just inexperienced
“Ego is insecurity in disguise” — Gary Vee
If you were to ask me what my greatest insecurity was throughout university, it was feeling like I was never smart enough and never would be. I walked into every room and felt like I was the most under-qualified one in the room. I really struggled with this for so many years but it’s something I was always too scared to talk about so never did. It really consumed me.
Sometimes, I was just getting into my own head but most of the time, I probably was the most under-qualified in the room. Of course I was, most of the time, I was probably one of the youngest. So then I asked myself, so what? Why was I thinking about myself so much? Why wasn’t I just focusing on the task at hand, instead of constantly worrying about what other people thought of me?
Once I let go of constantly feeling like I needed to prove myself, the imposter syndrome just disappeared. Being the most under-qualified person in the room doesn’t even bother me anymore. In fact, it excites me. I realised how lucky I was to be in that room. How lucky I was to be surrounded by so many people with so much more experience than me. That’s how you get better.
So don’t be afraid to be in that room, that’s how you’ll grow. It’s ok to start at the bottom, everyone’s got to start somewhere.
5. The Learning Curve
This one blew my mind when I first found it earlier this year.
At the beginning of this year, I think I finally hit the “discouragingly realistic” phase. When you realise how much of the world you don’t understand. How much there is to learn and just how much you don’t know. It can be so overwhelming and up right depressing, especially performing well academically in school, you grow up thinking that you know everything or that you’ll be good at anything.
Up to this point, I’d lived life in my small bubble, so naive and clueless to the world around me and granted, I still am. I know there’s so much I don’t understand about the world, but that’s the difference. Now I’m aware of that. I feel like for a long time, I oscillated between “clueless” and “naively confident” and it is only after 5 years of university that I feel like I’ve snapped out of that.
Going through this really taught me the importance of curiosity and it unlocked my love for learning. It taught me to be constantly questioning how things work.
Life’s a journey, always be curious and never stop learning.
6. Take the hard courses
You have to remember why you’re at university. You’re here to gain a new skill, so always challenge yourself to take the harder courses. Two people could do the same degree and come out with completely different skill sets so really think about why you’re at university and really take your subject selection seriously. Marks are important, especially if you don’t have work experience, but so are the very real skills you will bring to the workplace, so find a balance between both of these.
And if that’s not enough to convince you to take the harder courses, just remember, you’re paying for your degree. You want to get bang for your buck.
7. Get a job relevant to your degree early on
You’ll learn so much more. I wish that I tried to get a software job earlier in my degree because after I found a job, I could just better connect the theory I was learning at university to real life applications of it, which just made the experience more rewarding and enjoyable. My learning experience was definitely transformed and it also just gave me more purpose to studying. So if you’re struggling with motivation, really think about what sort of career you want and how your degree is going to help you get there.
8. Break it down
One of the lessons coding taught me. A big problem can always be broken down into smaller easier problems. When something seems too hard, don’t just give up, break it down.
If you think about it, that’s all life is. You tackling small problems or doing small seemingly trivial tasks which eventually add up to a major event, whether it be a major project at work, baking a 3 layer cake, or completing a degree. A major $5M project is just a series of small tasks which need to be performed by a team of employees, completing a degree is just a series of courses which can be further broken down into a series of assessments. Seems obvious right? So whenever you’re feeling overwhelmed, take a step back and see the challenge ahead for what it really is, a series of small, more manageable tasks. Approach your problems like this, and you might just find that you can do anything you set your mind to.
“Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.” — Henry Ford
9. Don’t procrastinate
Live life with energy. It’s a privilege. Stop procrastinating.
Life is short. If you don’t do it now, you’ll probably forget about it or regret it later. I think quarantine has really taught us all to embrace the opportunities when they come. “Later” may never arrive for you. And if you’re still procrastinating an activity, question why that’s the case.
10. Where you are today is a result of the decisions you made 2 years ago
Or 5 years ago. Or 1 year ago. The actual time is irrelevant. What I’m trying to say is always think ahead. Have a plan for where you see yourself. Being intentional is important. Goals are important. Things don’t just happen out of luck. If you want that job, or you want that skill or whatever it is, you need to come up with a plan. Even if it seems crazy to you right now, remember Lesson #8, break it down and anything is achievable.
It’s not a race. Give yourself time to achieve your goals. If you’re doing it for yourself, the time it takes to achieve your goal won’t matter to you. Good things take time and persistence.
Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate — Carl Jung
11. Own your successes. Own your failures.
Own your successes. Learn to back yourself. Give yourself credit for the hard work you put in. You deserve that. I’ve always struggled with giving myself credit for the work I put in to get something, whether that be related to grades or a job, and always justified it with ‘I got lucky’ or ‘right place right time’. Once I learned to own my successes, I was more motivated to work hard. I was more secure in who I was as a person. I just had more sense of direction. I had more autonomy over my life.
Own your failures. Own the mistakes you make. Everyone makes mistakes. You have to own your mistakes to learn from them. Be proud of your mistakes and though uncomfortable, don’t ignore them. Learn to accept responsibility for your mistakes. Making mistakes is how we gain experience. No one’s perfect, just remember that.
12. Kindness is underrated
Be kind. Help others. Life isn’t a competition. The only person you’re competing with is yourself. Don’t be jealous of someone else’s situation, instead be inspired by them. Someone else’s success doesn’t take away from your own. You are living your own life. You are moving at your own pace.
13. Travel the world
Go on exchange, take that summer course, go on that holiday with your friends. You’ll learn so much stepping outside your comfort zone.
Seek discomfort. Push yourself into uncomfortable situations. Travel alone. Travel with friends. Travel with family. You will never be this free in your life so if you have the means to, make the most of it.
In hindsight, University was a journey to find my personal voice. It was hard. I spent a lot of the time doubting every aspect of myself. I was very sheltered for a long time. I had a lot of my previous thoughts and opinions about the world challenged.
It feels surreal that this whole experience is over. Now, onto bigger and better things.
