Note: The following is a chapter from an unpublished book I wrote a year ago. The purpose is to share lessons and observations from my time in college. I hope to revise and somehow publish the book in its entirety at some point, but for now I’m sharing the current drafts one chapter at a time.

Part I – The Past: More than Just a Bunch of Dates

“Each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation. You will have opportunities beyond anything we’ve ever known.”
- Ronald Reagan

Growing up, History didn’t interest me much. I guess I knew in my head that there were lessons to be learned from those who lived before me, but it still seemed like a lot of tedious memorization of facts that I’d never need in my daily life. Some of my peers found it fascinating…I would have much rather learned about technology, science, or computer programming. But I’ve come to realize that understanding the past is a great way to make the most of the present and succeed in the future. Generations of imperfect people have been trying things, some of which have worked and some which haven’t. Rather than going through that whole process ourselves, doesn’t it make more sense to learn about what they did and how it turned out, so that we can avoid making those same mistakes?

In the last two centuries, we’ve seen communism rise and fall all over the globe. The arguments that fueled this movement sound reasonable, promoting fairness and equality while fighting greed and an abusive bourgeois. But something caused the various communist governments to fail and to be known not for creating utopian working-class societies, but for corruption and widespread poverty and dysfunction. Is this because the ideals put forth by communism were bad? Not necessarily. But clearly, its implementation failed to achieve those ideals. By studying what happened in these countries, we can begin to understand what went wrong and formulate a better system of government based on a broader base of understanding.

That’s merely one example, but the same idea can be applied to all aspects of life. Failure is a part of living, and no understanding of the past will ever completely shield you from it. Yet a wise person learns from others’ failures and successes so that he or she can move beyond the achievements of others and break new ground. This goes for the history you learn in the classroom, as well as the advice of older and wiser people who have had more experience in this journey we call life.

Part II – The Future: Don’t Believe Everything You Hear

“Prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future.”
- Niels Bohr

Young people are easily energized when they feel strongly about an issue, and that’s great. A problem arises, however, when this passion is not backed up with knowledge. Fear is an effective way of finding people to support a cause. Activists understand this, and that’s why they like to use apocalyptic terms to win converts. I’m not going to argue against fighting global warming or the need to elect people who will promote certain social causes, or many of the other popular movements on college campuses. What I would like to encourage, however, is balance and level-headedness. Ok, so the global average temperature has risen over the past several decades. Clearly, there are reasons why this could be the result of human activity, so it is indeed prudent to acknowledge this and work toward a remedy. But although you may have heard some frightening reports about greenhouse gases and their eventual effect on ocean levels, look into the facts before you join the next protest. Listen to both sides of the story. Research the issue yourself. Then, if you still believe it to be an issue that warrants your immediate attention, get involved.

But perhaps there are more pressing issues that are more worthy of your passion and time. Maybe it is fighting poverty and disease in Africa, sharing your beliefs with others, or simply preparing for a career with which you can support a family and/or give philanthropically. I’m not trying to say one cause is more important than another, but remember that there’s a lot of emotionally-charged rhetoric in this world, especially on college campuses, and if you were to hop on every bandwagon that came your way, you’d quickly find yourself over-extended. Life is about making choices, which generally involves saying “no” a lot more than “yes.” Realize that deciding not to become involved in a particular cause doesn’t mean you don’t respect or even support it…just that you’ve chosen to focus on other things you find more immediately important.

Part III – The Present: When Opportunities Come Knocking… (Check the Peephole)

“All we see of someone at any moment is a snapshot of their life, there in riches or poverty, in joy or despair. Snapshots don’t show the million decisions that led to that moment.”
- Richard Bach

As Americans, we are gifted with opportunities that people in third world countries can only dream of. Here, poor people are often obese, not starving. I realize this obesity comes from eating cheaper, less healthy food, but the point is, they’re eating. Despite many problems with our public education system, we have one, and the children in this country have the opportunity to learn important academic skills at an early age. And through scholarships and financial aid programs, conscientious high school graduates from all walks of life have a chance at a higher education. Once they reach these institutions, the opportunities multiply. Through classes, student organizations, social networks, jobs, extra-curricular academic pursuits, etc., college students are inundated with options and alternatives. While this is an incredible blessing, it’s also quite a responsibility.

Taking advantage of opportunities is the means by which we grow. I’m not a particularly outgoing person, but I chose to get involved in a number of campus organizations and am extraordinarily glad I did so. Without some sort of connection to other people with whom you have something in common, college will be a very dull and lonely experience. There’s so much more to university life than going to class and earning a degree. So I strongly encourage you to familiarize yourself with the options that are available to you and pursue those opportunities that will allow you to grow and contribute.

With that said, not all opportunities in college and life should be taken. I know that seems obvious, but just as important as being an involved member of the student body is not being involved in ways that have a negative affect on you and your personal development. This doesn’t mean you can’t have fun in college. It does mean that you should reject opportunities that have a high probability of causing you to do things you’d later regret. This could mean turning down a role that would require more time than you can afford, or watching a movie with some friends in your dorm room instead of going to a party where illegal or risky activity is likely to occur. Even a noble opportunity may be wisely rejected if it would mean compromising in other important areas, such as developing important relationships, reducing stress, and succeeding academically. Don’t avoid responsibility, but accept it carefully. Remember that you don’t have to try everything.

Leading a successful life depends largely on seizing opportunities to grow in the direction of your goals as well as recognizing unwise decisions before you make them. College is a great time to have fun and enjoy a period of life relatively free of external responsibilities. Just keep in mind that many of the decisions we make have lifelong consequences, some of which may be immediately obvious and others which may not be.