The most beautiful moments of their lives according to our parents are their college years. They always tell their kids how they had so much fun and exposure when they were in college. I've barely been in college for two weeks, and I can understand what they mean. I've been set free of some pre-existing shackles. I've been forced to grow up. Being a single child, I was used to the comforts that my parents swaddled me in. I didn't have to think or worry much. I had all my clothes washed and ironed in my cupboard every day. I had a regular nutritious breakfast every morning before school. I had a regular schedule, a fixed regime and no sense of doubt. It was a beautiful morning when I first woke up on my first day at my university. I enjoyed every second that followed.
I have to admit, I was sceptical about living away from home for the first time. I was worried about how I would deal with the loneliness as I am generally an introvert. Fortunately, I was able to meet some really interesting people. They helped me appreciate the non-academic side of this life. They helped me with dealing with homesickness. They gave me a whole new perspective on friendships as they are meant to be. Whether or not all this is permanent is yet to be seen.
Being responsible for everyday activities makes you question the meaning of life. I've had to cycle between class, lunch, laundry and then back to class. All this may sound exaggerated, but for someone with the work-rate of a sloth, this is a herculean task. This has an element of beauty in it though. These are the moments to imbibe rare values from. These moments enable us to exist in the real world. We learn essential skills to compete and coexist with the rest of humanity. We learn that things aren't as rosy as they seem. Some people are completely fake and are not who they seem to be. People who you may look up to or admire. People you may have thought were the living embodiment of goodness. This shows you that the perfect person does not exist in this world. No matter what they seem from the outside, they seem to be hiding something about themselves.
But as I have written before, trust is important. We cannot live with just ourselves. We are social animals. At the end of the day, we are faced with innumerable choices. Choosing the people that surround us is one of those many choices we have to make. Our life can be decided by our choices. Our life can be- with the right effort- as we like it.