An Oath to Being a Human First, and a Student Second

By Ashley Mulhare

I saw this great quote the other day that truly put my life into perspective: “Life is about remembering that you are a human first, and a student second.” I feel a lot of us as determined college scholars believe we are trapped within the campus walls to eat, sleep, and study. We forget that we are still living primitive years that we will never get back. Although it is important to focus on our academics while gaining the gift of an education, I think it’s also important for each of us to take time for ourselves to experience life. 

Now, as a college student, I understand how busy all of our schedules can get. Between classes, homework, and extracurriculars, it becomes difficult to have a social life, nonetheless find time to be by yourself, experiencing the world outside of campus. Not everyone has the opportunity to study abroad and immerse themselves in other cultures, but if you can, do it. Many of us forget how amazing the world around us is when we lock ourselves in the library for hours on end. We forget about the education that comes with experience and instead prioritize that which comes from books and lectures. Both are equally important, and both need equal validation. 

Trust me, I understand the stress of college and the priority an expensive education should have on your life. Don’t stop prioritizing school, but start prioritizing life. Go to a coffee shop in your community instead of the library to do work; soak up a warm day by driving with your friends to have a picnic at a local park; study abroad; take that trip; read that pleasurable book that’s been sitting on your nightstand that constantly gets lost in other books for school. Take the oath to remember that being a student is not the only trait defining you. Being a human defines you. Living life spontaneously and freely defines you. Don’t graduate without knowing who you are outside of school because it’s possible to learn simultaneously inside and outside the classroom. You are a student AND a human; never forget that.