Didn't we write paragraphs on 'My First Day at School' back in the school days? What will we write or say if we are asked about our first day at university? What stories will we tell our grandchildren when they ask us about our campus days?
The first day at the university campus for any youth was full of hope, dreams, plans, ideas, and of course, challenges. The stories that the youths at university are creating right now, whatever they may be, will sound amusing after a few years. After all, the university is the place where one spends some of the sweetest years of their life.
July 01, 2023 was the 102nd birth anniversary of the University of Dhaka. Both former and current students, with a few exceptions, posted something on Facebook. Those who were not students of this institution but had a lot of 'Dhabian' friends on their friend list might have come across many such posts. Some posts were not mere reminiscences but judgmental reflections on the long-gone campus life. This is the story of every anniversary of every university.
With very few exceptions, universities in our country barely meet global standards in many criteria. That said, these universities are all a student can aspire to unless they have enough financial and social backing and a hypothetical 'NOC' (No Objection Certificate) from family members to study abroad at the undergraduate level. While the top universities in developed and advanced developing countries are places for their brightest minds to share and create knowledge, most of the brilliant students in our country enter a local university to secure respectable employment opportunities after graduation. Moreover, the expectations of their family and community often put an extra burden on their shoulders. Nonetheless, the university is the place where youths make memories to cherish for a lifetime.
The truth is no one could ever tell you how your university life was going to be. Even friends belonging to the same close circle and having a lot of things in common often have different perspectives on their days on campus. Circles in the first year often don't remain the same. People entering university and those closely associated with them have expectations for their future, and those are backed by strong emotions from their early days of youthhood. Students from different socio-economic strata assign a varying degree of value to ambition, family responsibilities, connections, politics, passion, friendship, emotions, romantic involvements, and so on. The bottom line is that the university is where you encounter diversity in its true sense and craft your own stories.
However, what helps is having an open mind to different views. It will never frustrate one. People around one are like their mirrors: reflecting one's self on them will show one myriad faces of, surprisingly, oneself! This is important to observe for becoming one's best version. Youths need to act in a way to become their best version, or they will learn it the hard way. Undoubtedly, university life is one of the most formative times of any youth's life. A university student's response to diversity will have to be optimistic and spontaneous. Otherwise, one might remain a lone wolf, which is a disempowering idea. A youth may have talents, but talents that are not complemented by others and not tested in healthy competitions will fall short of what is required for a youth to thrive.
One does not need to be an out-and-out extrovert, but one needs to find their tribe and avoid being a loner, and that will be sufficient for a well-rounded university life. One should not let their comfort zone devour their potential. One may have a small circle, but at least, they should have one. Being an introvert never means one will fail to make connections and never shine in the long run. However, it is best to get oneself involved in some extracurricular activities (ECAs). ECAs are good for making healthy and long-lasting connections and productively channeling one's energy. It is never too late; one can start in the final year as well. However, keep the temptation of adding too many lines to your CV from overpowering your passion. One should enjoy their time doing ECAs.
Renowned writer Simon Sinek wrote an entire book emphasising the importance of knowing why one does something before doing it and chalks out how to do it in his book 'Start With Why.' This 'why' is the philosophical foundation for a youth's 'what' and 'how'. Youths should chase their dreams, stand with their peers, and make stories for life. They should be mindful of not creating any toxic memories that will destroy them over time and make sure that their grandchildren enjoy some of the stories they craft during their university life.
The writer is a member of the Bangladesh Civil Service and a passionate reader. gazi.noyon@yahoo.com
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