Have you ever putting yourself blaming your surrounding when you make mistakes?
"hmm, I failed because the lecturer doesn't provide enough information during classes."
"ou, its because the institution doesn't provide enough service to me."
"It must be because of my stupid friends asking me to hang out."
You know, we tend to frame ourself as liquid in a jar. The jar reshapes us as we go in. But its important to start recognize that the wall only affect the physical aspect of the water and not the quality (though, in long term, it does)
I remembered my senior said when I decided to go to other campus. "A scumbag will always be scumbag even in luxurious places. Also, diamond will always be diamond even in shitty places." I like the way he didn't force me to stay or suggest me to go away. He gave me an understanding that it doesn't matter where you study, the quality of yourself depend on the value you are having and building.
Its 100% true. I cant agree more. You know it remains me to one of the stoic value I have read in "How to Be A Stoic" by Massimo Pigliucci. Simply, you can't control all of external factor that have chance (even big) to affect you. But you can control yourself to take actions that increase the chance to winning.
In college, same grade, same study duration, produces people with different capacities. Standard services determined by the institution don't affect the students in the same way. As farmer watering pots of land with same amount of water, different type of soil can absorb different amount.
If someone in the same year class has more skills, wider knowledge than you. Its not because you don't get what he get from the institution. Bad way to say this probably because it is a genetic factor or it just he studied and worked more than you. It is a hard reality.
We need to see external factor as a bonus. Our main focus should be expanding our capabilities to absorp waters as much as possible and in the same time continuously crystallized ourself from the inside by building our skills and values. Let's be a diamond, no matter what kind of jar we are placed, we will always be valued.
