What I Learned This Summer

written by Emma Bartley

Learning does not just take place in the classroom. Learning can take place anywhere and everywhere. This summer was a wonderful learning experience for me. I wanted to share some of the wisdom I learned this summer with you!

1. Don’t be complacent.

   Complacency means feeling so satisfied with your own abilities or situation that you feel you do not need to try any harder. Complacency can easily lead to an unfulfilling life. Don’t be complacent with friends that are “good enough.” Reach out to new people to find those who you truly enjoy. Don’t be complacent with yourself. Try new things and branch out to find what you are passionate about. Don’t ever be complacent.

2. Always be open to new people. You never know who will be a friend.

   Sometimes, when we are in a new situation, we just want to fit in and hang out with the first people we meet to avoid uncomfortableness. But I challenge you to branch out and try to meet as many people as you can. This might be different for everyone; for an introvert like me, going out of your comfort zone to meet two or three new people a day could be a stretch. But that’s totally fine! Push yourself in a way that is comfortable for you, but still allows you to grow. You never know if a person you meet will be your new best friend!

3. Do something that scares you. You grow most when you are outside of your comfort zone.

   Some of life’s best lessons come from doing something you don’t like (or something you don’t think you will like). By taking risks, you expose yourself to new ideas, new people, and new experiences. You may find that while it did scare you, it ends up being something you love. Or, if you don’t enjoy what happens, that is still a lesson to be learned and something to be remembered!

4. Everything happens for a reason. Learn to adapt to changes and go with the flow.

   Have you ever had a really bad day, but looking back, you realize how much of a learning experience it was for you? This happens to me quite a bit. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and although I may not be able to see that reason at the time, I will realize later on how important it was for me. When your day gets rough, try to adapt to the changes and go with the flow!

5. Smile. Even when you don’t want to.

   If you’re like me, sometimes you just want to sit and be sad. But, in these moments, I challenge you to smile. It can be hard, but trust me when I say, just smiling can make you feel better.

I hope that this school year, like my summer, can be a learning experience for you, inside and out of school. Please comment any life lessons you find important to share!