Dear Diamonds, SURVIVING UNI

Dear Diamonds, 

When I got the news of your graduation, my heart was filled with so much joy and excitement for what the great possibilities the future holds. I began to reminisce on my own personal experiences embarking on the same journey you are currently on; which is transitioning from high school to the life of independence, college offers.

As I emersed myself in the nostalgia that overwhelmed my thoughts, I realized how in so many ways, I was prepared for the journey and yet in so many other ways I felt completely unprepared. I also came to the realization, that there were many lessons from the preceding chapters of my life that impacted my journey over the course of time.

You’ve come to another one of life’s beautiful milestones. Here, you are inducted into the real world. This is where you graduate from your secondary/ high school and commence the process of starting university/college. It is very important at this point in your journey to understand the power of reflection as well as the power of vision.

In reflecting, you are looking back on all the processes and lessons that have brought you to this exact moment. These lessons are important in finding yourself. You might wonder what finding yourself has to do with delving into this next chapter of your life. 

I’ll tell you.

Going into university is your first real trial of independence and adolescence, you are exposed to all manner of influence and pressure and knowing where you come from and where you are going keeps you grounded and unfazed by the waving storms that life may through at you.

In Kindergarten and Primary school, you started to build the social character of learning and making friends, while primarily under the influence and tutelage of your parents and guidance. My bible as well as all holy books teaches “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he would not depart”. The moral lessons you start to learn from this point in your life, sets a great foundation for who you are.  This will only be reinforced throughout the course of your life.

In Secondary/ High school, you began to develop a stronger Identity, you started to think more critically about your expectation from life, you were influenced by lessons you learnt from home but primarily from interactions with your peers. You probably already made some mistake and learnt lessons that have shaped the expectations you have for yourself. 

It is important that to thrive in this critical point in your life, you understand some basic principles

1. Self-Awareness (this is what you begin to develop as you reflect over your experiences and lessons learnt. Your family is your foundational base of discovering who you are and who you want to become)
2. Mentorship (it is important that you have someone of amiable character that you aspire to be like and is also preferably accessible. However, if you have chosen a mentor that is not accessible, you can always study their life/ journey and follow their lessons. In your path to independence, you’ll slowly come into the realization that life entails more that you’ve been prepared for. Therefore, it is important to seek guidance throughout this process. It is important that whoever you chose as a mentor should be someone who’s life and process has amounted to great success. The end goal for following such a mentor should also inspire you to become a mentor yourself.)
3. Discipline (remembering where you’re from and those that look to you to make them proud; should be a driving force for you to maintain discipline. However most importantly self-respect should be your primary motivation to maintaining a life a discipline. Discipline separates you from those that will get lost in the carnival of experiences that life has to offer as you go into university and by extension adulthood).
4. Vision (Following your spirit, the mind is the most powerful tool to surviving life’s journey. It is important that you use the power of your mind, to manifest the great possibilities and expectations you want for yourself. If you can think it, you can have it, you can become it and you can live it. Be sure to constantly feed your mind with positive thought and expectations.)
5. Prayer (with God all things are possible and even when all seems to fail, having that strong believe that God is good and His love for you never ceases, should be your strength and assurance that the life you are about to lead will be one filled with blessing no matter the storms that may come.)

Welcome to this beautiful journey of adolescence to adulthood. The world is your playground.

All My Love,

ASJ

#asjdiamonds #asjfoundation #asjwrites