The Journey of a Student
The journey as a student is one of the best adventures a person may encounter. Sometimes the journey begins before you even know what you are studying and sometimes the individual has an epiphany of what they want to master. However, the journey as a student is different for everyone. In retrospect we are all students mastering and studying the art of life – some of us just decide to minor in a more specific area of it. In other words, some of us decide to pursue a degree or extend further knowledge in the certain career choice.
The WHY behind starting a new endeavor.
The beginning of a student’s journey is exciting. The feeling of the impelling anticipation of stepping onto a new road is simply enticing. A magical feeling of endless possibility overwhelms them when they finally obtain clarity of how they want to make their presence purposeful in this world. Although, no one ever emphasizes the not-so-magical parts of the journey that a student encounters.
When we first embark on a new journey, we can become so fixated on the end goal. The eye inside our minds can see the finish line. We even start to visualize ourselves after we have arrived at the destination. The sensation of meaningful work seeps into every part of our being as we dream of the end goal. We can feel the victory and the accomplishment of being done with the hard work.
Oftentimes, we forget about the contents in between.
We often overlook the contents of what is in between the start line and the finish line. We overlook the feelings, the questions, and the thoughts that run through our minds when we are on the clock as a student. Even the same feelings, questions, and thoughts bleed into our minds when we are off the clock. We naturally become overwhelmed with thoughts like:
“What did I get myself into? What if I am not good enough to do this? What if I am not meant for this? I feel so unprepared. Did I study enough? What if I am not qualified to do this? Will I fit in? What if I don’t pass the exam? Am I wasting my time? Is there another profession that suits me better?”
Our job as a student is to stay present.
We often get raided and de-railed with these thoughts. What we don’t realize at the moment is that these thoughts carry us into the future that has not even happened yet and these questions are based on past experiences that no longer exist. No one ever guaranteed an easy road. However, our job as a student is to be present and to simply live in the now. This is the best way to absorb the teachings and observe our teacher. We cannot master our craft if we are spending the time we are on the clock as a student somewhere else. Yes, this statement is obvious when we refer to being physically somewhere else, but in this case a student is not able to master the craft to the best of their ability if they are mentally absent.
Trust yourself. You are exactly right where you are supposed to be.
If you find yourself anxious and overwhelmed with thoughts similar to these, ask yourself this:
- Am I doing my best?
- Am I making the most out of what I can control?
- Am I trusting the process?
What you are going through right now is part of your experience. It is part of the journey to becoming a master of your craft. Do not be afraid, do not be anxious, do not worry. You are doing your best and making the most out of what you can control. Trust yourself and trust the uncontrolled forces that are pushing you and helping you on this journey to improvement.