University Life...

' You know, I used to graduate from Monash University, years ago.'

I did a double-take. Making sure that my ears were not hearing things, I asked him,

' Monash? You mean Monash University?'

' Yes. And I got a Humanities degree and then did my Masters here.'

Wow. And now he is the cleaner of my hall.

As I talked to him longer, I found out that he actually worked as a teacher after graduating and had been teaching all along until he lost his job recently.

He could only manage to find this present job and took it with much discontent, as you would imagine.

There are many inferences that you can make from this situation. Economy not doing well? Government not doing it's job? Maybe this fella didn't try hard enough?

Whatever it was, I didn't think along those lines. Rather, I was thinking about why do we go to university at all, weird as it may sound. Do we do that, wanting to get a better job with a degree in our hands? Or do we do it because of our desire to study, to improve our knowledge, to further our passion for a particular field of study? Or do we do that because all our friends are going there as well and we would be left out or slip down in the life race that we all participate in?

Well, I don't have any statistics to back me up. But I guess most of us are really in it for pragmatic reasons. Get a good degree; get a good job; get a good life and live happily ever after.

But how often does that happen? I'm not sure. But it doesn't seem to happen very often with all the discontent and complaints that seem to emerge all around us.

So in the quest to pass your exams and to rush to hand in your assignments and projects, do take some time to wonder about what your future might be.

And to enjoy your time as well.

Enjoy the process of expanding your knowledge and overcoming the academic challenges that university life throws at us. Amaze at the extent of human knowledge and marvel at the wonders of the workings of our world. Embrace the bonds and companionship of your friends.

Just do your very best to have a good, positive time in university.

Hmmm, to many, it may sound impossible, a fairytale dream perhaps? But think of things in another perspective and look at things from another angle and it may just be possible.

Don't be lost in the never-ending struggles to study for the sake of passing exams. Working your heads off to get the best scores for your assignments and projects. These are important but they should not be taking over your life. There's much more to it than that.

I hope, few years down the road, you won't graduate from university with this thought:

Phew! I'm done with all these exams and assignments! No more of these to worry about! No more burning the mid-night oil! No more mugging! No more! No more! Yeah!

That would be a very sad outcome indeed.