I always knew I wanted to live away from home when picking a university, what I didn’t know would happen would be the independence I gained from doing so.
This allowed me to find time for myself and tap into who I am and find what I love doing.
Growing up, we are always rushed to find out who we are and to solve this big mystery of how we will serve society in the future. For some this takes decades but for me, I was able to find who I was when I was alone at school.
Whoever said that high school is the greatest years of our lives clearly did not make the most of their university experience.
This whole notion of a wilding university experience is quite cliche nonetheless. I like to look at this portion of our lives as a leap towards independence.
However, the Kate of today finds peace in her alone time both at home and strutting on campus with her music too loud on her headphones. She would tell her high school self to be herself because there is only one version of that — so commodify that shit!
Yes have fun, yes take some you time, but be smart with how you manage your time because this will be a key element of building who you are — not only in a professional, but also how you go about your everyday life.
Once I really started to focus on what I needed to get done for work and school, I completely lost the notion of fomo.
Also, whoever made fomo a thing clearly did not read my article about being independent, but that’s another topic of discussion.
Being okay by yourself builds strength and allows one to process issues in a timely manner through rational thoughts without your peers convincing you to not think like the true self you are.
Furthermore, one notion I like to laugh at is how society denotes the act of going out to eat alone or going to the movies alone. I respect people that do that and it’s something I am slowly building the confidence to do.
In high school, I can confidently say that I never felt good walking alone down the halls.
However, the Kate of today finds peace in her alone time both at home and strutting on campus with her music too loud on her headphones. She would tell her high school self to be herself because there is only one version of that — so commodify that shit!
This may or may not sound like something you have heard from your nagging mother before and you are probably rolling your eyes at this article.
If you did, however, make it this far into the article I ask that you take one thing from it.
One anecdote I like to live by is the rule airlines give before departure, “please ensure that your oxygen mask is properly fastened on yourself before assisting others.”
Not only is this super important for flying due to the scarcity of oxygen at such high altitudes, but also for your mental well-being as a growing adolescent.
When you are okay with who you are, your thoughts become more rational — ultimately allowing yourself to be there for your friends in need. Put karma aside and focus in on those you love after you find true love from within.
