Last week, my friend brought up in our conversation that we’re roughly halfway through our LSE (London School of Economics) degrees.
Well damn. It’s a bittersweet thought. I can’t say I am not anxious as the wilderness of the working world edges ever closer. It can be a jungle out there where the weak get eaten. Aside from that, I am grateful to have made it this far, not crushed under the weight of my own expectations for the future.
After all, my LSE place was saved by a U-turn, others were not so lucky.
That is why it is only fair that I at least provide some insight into what I learned in the last year and a half as a student. Perhaps I can help someone reading this article who has been scared away from the LSE by its notoriously sub-par student satisfaction rating.
To keep things brief, I have picked three key lessons I learned along with the stories behind them.
Lesson One: Know your circle
At university, meeting many different people is inevitable. It is worth remembering who among them falls into your circle of trust.
I realise how political that sounds. I would just be surprised if you were close mates with thousands of undergraduates. That does not mean befriend your classmates just to get lecture notes from them.
My friend makes a running joke that I seem to know “everyone” because every time I step into the LSE Library, I bump into at least five people I know. Fair enough, I am a fairly sociable person and thus run into people from my classes, societies, accommodation and events (social and professional).
However, I know that only a small fraction of “everyone” is comfortable enough with me that we call each other to check on our wellbeing, see a film or invite round.
Too many short “hi” and “bye” conversations with the same people I encounter and how can I honestly place them above the level of “acquaintance”?
I partly say this as a student at a university where people are likely to ask for your LinkedIn before your Instagram. Your age-mates on LinkedIn are not necessarily your friends, even if you are ‘connections’.
Of course, your relationships with people can change if you get to know them better and everyone is entitled to their own circles of friends. Having, but more importantly knowing your friendships is key because they will be tested upon graduation, much like after Sixth Form or even secondary school.
Lesson Two: Do not neglect your passions
One of the unofficial mottos of my African-Caribbean Society is “Don’t die for uni!”.
Naturally, stay married to your books and internships, you want good returns on your investment so the right employers will invest in you. However, pace yourself. By all means work like a machine but rest assured, you will overheat like one. Why do you think it’s called “burnout”? I am currently doing damage control during my Christmas break, repairing my shattered sleep schedule.
Above all, explore your interests and extracurriculars since they are a vital escape from the stresses of academia. Grades only make up an important quarter of your university experience but only a quarter.
This is a hell of a lot more important for those wanting to study in the US since grades alone won’t fly you there.
Personally, writing essays only uses so much creativity. That is why I learned to channel it into articles like this one or my developing YouTube Channel where I poke fun at today’s society and analyse it where others might be afraid or unbothered to. This time wasn’t wasted as my passion led to me being sought out to feature in the 2021/22 edition of the Future Leaders Magazine.
Some of the most career-driven students I know with book-heavy degrees are active on YouTube and TikTok — you can find each of them here. So, have side-hustles, side-projects, something aside from the usual answer when your relatives ask, “How’s uni going”? Who knows, your passion could become profitable if you play your cards right.
However, be mindful of these extracurriculars as they are luxuries. I was recently reminded that worrying about how many subscribers I have or responses to my Instagram questions is a “first-world problem”. Fair enough, you can’t be failing your Maths and Economics modules while obsessing over how many people have streamed your new song on Spotify — you’re worried about the wrong numbers my friend.
So, feel free to ask me to reshare your tracks on my Snapchat story but do not forget your degree because it has not forgotten you.
Lesson Three: If you need help, ask for it. Seriously.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding… — Proverbs 3:5–6
Say what you will about Christians, but they know how to ask for help. It steels them, provides them mental fortitude against life’s obstacles.
And thus, we have my final and most important lesson. The world won’t always hold your hand, but ideally, pride or fear shouldn’t prevent you from asking for guidance when you need it. Chasing “success” is a team sport. Admittedly, this has taken me a while to fully understand. Last year, I tried to tackle too much of life head-on without the right support. While I was not “failing” per se, I was left thinking that I fell short of what could’ve been achieved if I had worked with other people more. I would have at least had an easier time facing my books, starting a YouTube Channel, maintaining friendships, and shooting out applications to firms. Guidance is key.
Succeeding in highly competitive situations, such as applying to institutions like the LSE, requires all the guidance you can get. Your friends, parents, mentors — do not be afraid to reach out to those who are able and willing to lend their wisdom. Do not always assume they are too busy as I did.
“Your network is your net-worth”. It is practically a religion for ‘successful’ people.
In summary, without waxing lyrical: know who your friends are, don’t neglect your dreams and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
