Looking Back : Part 1

Experience is not what happens to a man; it is what a man does with what happens to him.
Aldous Huxley (1894 - 1963), "Texts and Pretexts", 1932


its been almost 8 months since i have left home to come abroad to study. Then, before i came i decided that one of the ways in which i would find myself would be by leaving home and coming here to experience new things and meet new people and decide for myself as to what kind of person i wanna be. Those of you who read this and who already know who i am would most likely know that i associated the events leading up to my arrival here in CF as the catalyst of change for my being who i am today.

i still believe that....

the question know is what have i learned in this eight months or so, as i move into revision and prepare for my exams i think its best for me to look and see whether in this time i have become who i wanted to be when i first came here or have i strayed from that goal.

to be honest i didnt know exactly what i wanted to be like, all i knew was that i hoped to be the best i could be at this stage, learn as much as i can, and just live life to the full.

so far, i have tried a new sport and found that i think i am rather good at it. in playing this sport and being a part of this team i felt that i have achieved something that i have rather longed for my whole life, to be a part of a proper team and be appreciated. the level of commitment and dedication, and friendship that i have experienced here would be invaluable to me in the future. I have learnt to come out of my shell at appropriate times and learnt to be confident with who i am. Confidence and belief in yourself is something that is imperative in every individual to be successful in every aspect of ones life, be it education, social, business, everything. and this is one of the more important experiences i have experienced so far and will continue to cherish it. Going back to my point of self confidence and belief, this is important for the mental health of an individual as well. I have heard and seen people who live in self doubt and are depressed at dangerous levels that often lead them into doing things that are bad for themselves and the people around them. thats one thing i know for sure i have understood.

Secondly, i have come to understand that no matter how hard it is, never fall victim to first impressions. I know its the first impression that counts, but also consider the second, third and consecutive impressions people give. in a way, everytime u see someone its a first impresison. one day yous ee them and think one thing, the next day u see them and u think something else. Talk to them, listen, then judge. Like i have mentioned in previous publications, we often get too caught up in the moment and think " oh, we gonna be friends forever", or "he/she aint that bad" only to be sad when these people fall short of our expectations. Along with this, i have also considered the issue of relationships. I mean, who wouldnt wanna be in a relationship wouldnt they? but i have come to accept the fact that when i do go into a relationship it will have to be with someone i can truly relate to, respect and admire. for if i dont respect them, then no point.

end of part 1