Enjoy every moment by Shamit

Enjoy every moment by Shamit - April 2016 Scholarship Essay

Congratulations on being accepted and starting your journey into college. Pursuing higher education is an incredible experience. You will meet people that will become your life long best friends. You will also experiment things you've never considered before. Most importantly, you will get a first hand experience on transitioning into adulthood. Ultimately, college is a time where students can find themselves and truly understand who they are and what they want to achieve and accomplish in life. That statement is not limited to just academically or professionally, but also personally and spiritually.

Professionally
Allow yourself to be open minded and understand what professions are out there. Many of the students who go into college have some type of plan or understanding of what profession they want to go into, and that's great. However, the first suggestion I would make to you is to go in with an open mind. There are so many occupations and careers out there and a newly admitted undergraduate freshmen is probably only aware of 5% of what is really out there in terms of professions. Now undergraduate freshmen who know what they want to do professionally solidify these ideas growing up, from encouragement of their parents, or just because it 'seems' like a good idea. If it is the second or third reason, take a step back, slow down, and utilize this time to expose yourself to every subject/class you have a PERSONAL interest in. If you've known you wanted to be a lawyer and it is a passion of YOURS, then by all means, pursue your dream. But for those that don't have that deep burning passion for a certain field but are getting societal pressures to do so, it's okay to not want to do those things. There are plenty of ways to make money. The most important step is finding something you enjoy, and college is genuinely the best opportunity to find that out about yourself.

Socially
The majority of students that are entering college are all equally nervous. Some may show it by their timid behavior, others may mask it by going above and beyond to introduce themselves to others, but eventually revert back to their normal behavior. You will NEVER have the opportunity to expose yourself to as many people as quickly and frequently as college lets you. You will inevitably make a ton of friends in college, some that will last forever, and others that will fade after college. Keep this in mind, do not hold back in introducing yourself to anyone. Do not hold grudges, because nothing is life or death in college. As far as romance is concerned, give yourself the opportunity to approach whoever it is you desire, because your likelihood of getting to know that person are much higher in college than after, given that an individual's free time quickly diminishes after college. Everyone in college comes from a different walk of life, and everyone has something that can benefit you whether it is their humor, wisdom, knowledge, etc. In fact, take the time once a day, everyday in college to introduce yourself to someone you haven't met on campus. After a traditional four year term, that is approximately 1200 people you will expose yourselves to that you normally would have not. All it takes is 10 minutes a day, and you could potentially meet your best friend, an engaging business partner, or your soul mate using this tactic. Just remember, college is the time to make incredible relationships.

Regret
Now that I have covered advice regarding both the professional and social aspect, I will speak to a much broader perspective. Living with regret is one of the most painful things a human could do to him or herself. College is the time for you to be a free spirit and enjoy independence, responsibly of course. The last piece of advice I will leave you with is to live with no regrets. If there is something you want to do, whether it is study abroad, join recreational sports, etc., DO IT. Whether it's money, fear, 'lack of time' or anything else holding you back, get creative and make it work because the reality is, after college it is much more difficult to pursue your dreams and desires because adulthood settles in. College is the platform for exploration, self realization, and risk taking.

College is not just about pursuing your education. Of course that is a major component, there are a tremendous amount of other activities that comprise college. Just remember, be open minded in terms of what professions are out there. Make sure you expose yourself to them. Socially, everyone on campus will come from a different walk of life and will have very diverse personality. However, one thing will stay consistent. The majority of people in college will be just as excited and nervous as you are. Make a new friend everyday because you never know who will become a big part of your life. Lastly, never spend a moment looking back during college regretting what you could have done differently. Utilize everyday as a new opportunity of exploration and enjoyment. Do not hold yourself back. At the end of the day, these will be the fastest four years of your life and once they are over, you will not be getting them back. Regret nothing.