Life is a journey that consists of several milestones. Today is defined by the events we encountered in our past, and eventually, our tomorrow will be defined by the challenges we are confronting today. Now, the ball lies in our court that whether we embrace these challenges and let them make us a better individual, or we surrender to them, eliminating any chances of growth.

While pondering on your past, you will realise that some challenges were just thrown at you by life, whereas others were set by yourself. University is one of those milestones you typically set during your student life. For some, these years are just like other academic years; a ladder you have to climb to reach the top or a road you have to take for a certain destination. While for others, these years can be the most unique, adverse, and insightful time of their lives. While emphasising on the latter, this article encompasses the opportunities you get exposed to during your university years, that stimulate you to be a better person and equip you with specific significant skills.

Embarking on the journey:

If you are to set on a journey, you must ensure that the road you are on leads to it. Unlike other academic decisions, choosing a university is a delicate and unique experience. For instance, many prefer convenience while opting for a school in the yearly educational years. But, at this stage, one is willing to go out of their way to apply to a university that they feel is better for their education and consequently their career. Even if they have to burn the midnight oil to get a scholarship or to move abroad to get admitted to their dream university.

Once you have made it through, the journey begins.

  •   Social and communication skills:

As most of us opt for a university solely based on our preferences, we are unlikely to encounter a familiar face. It’s like stepping into a new world with unknown people everywhere. Thus, interacting with these students having different geographical backgrounds enhance your social skills and boost up your confidence.

Be it formal, informal, or semi-formal-different situations teach you distinctive tones of communication. I believe it is the university that teaches you to interact with people in the professional world where diplomacy and being formal is encouraged. Unless you pull yourself out of it and keep your distance, these years gradually turn you into a sociable person.

  •   Decision making:

When it comes to dealing with real-world situations, it is a skill that many admire. Decision making is a skill that is inculcated in you from your foremost time in university. Whether it’s about selecting your discipline, choosing people you want to be friends with, or taking those little daily life decisions that impact you in some way, university pushes you to become a finer decision-maker. Especially the students, who end up in a higher rank of a society or a club in the later years, are exposed to situations that ask them to step up and prove their leadership. But we cannot limit these skills to the ones who join a society in their university years. It can also be learned while leading a sports team, an academic group, or even your class.

On top of all this, if you are a hostility during these years, it’ll make you responsible and self-caring. It’s a completely different life from a day-scholar, it gives you freedom, and instills the ability to take your personal decisions alone. Moreover, you improve a lot in managing personal finances.

  •   Cultural awareness:

Up till school life, most of the people we met were from the same vicinity as ours. A drastic change that university brings to your life is that it introduces you to various cultures and social aspects that you might have not even imagined before.

People from different parts of the world, speaking distinctive languages and having different cultures are an astonishment for you. It makes you wonder how life can be so variable across the globe, with social norms and shared values unknown to you.

  •   Teamwork:

Without even realising, you refine yourself to be a better team player throughout these academic years. A group assignment, an event organised by your society, or a semester project, these unique experiences enhance your teamwork abilities. You learn to interact with others while having a decent work relationship. This skill proves to be vital during your professional career.

  •   Goals:

“Setting goals is the first step towards turning the invisible into the visible.” -Tony Robbins.

From aiming for an A in your first assignment to striving for a better research prospect for your thesis, you set various goals during these years. I believe the first step towards success is to aim for it. When you have to follow this process of setting goals several times, eventually, it infuses a habit of setting specific goals and striving for them.

  •   Self-exploration:

Throughout your life, you have been around the same people and probably the same educational institution as well. For most of us, university life is the first time we get exposed to an unknown side of ours. The skills that have been there all the time but unrevealed to us gets revealed. Until now, either because of social pressure or low self-esteem, we kept deceiving ourselves about our capabilities.

When you enter a world free of prejudice, you encourage yourself to try new things. This brings out a noticeable version of yourself. Most importantly, now you can be whoever you want to be as there is no pressure whatsoever. It’s a chance to catch that train of a new personality you have wished for so long. Hence, you explore different options and consider doing things that you haven’t even thought of before.

Apart from this, years in the university are once in a lifetime kind of experience. These years are like a teacher that teaches you lessons in almost every field of life.