There was a time where I hesitated to go on exchange.

It was going to be difficult, no doubt. So I came up with the brilliant cliché

Pain makes you stronger.

I was/am a sensitive kid who cried a lot. I wanted to toughen up. Putting myself through pain seemed the answer. What other way to get out of my comfort zone than being in a fully different  language, household, social structure, weather and food? So with this I made up my mind.

Luckily my brother made me realize that voluntary pain bears no fruit. Since pain is inevitable, the last thing you want is to prepone it right? Why not just enjoy the moment instead of forcing effort out. If you do something you don’t believe in, it leans toward painful. but if you do something you believe in, all the effort will seem like a compromise for the greater good.

Keep asking yourself if you believe in what you are doing. If you believe in what you do, it eases the pain.

When I look around Indian schools, nobody believes in them and everybody wants to be done with it. It’s frustrating since without education, an entire generation is handicapped. They are unable to think for themselves and gladly gulp all the propaganda shoved down their throats.

Each of my friends justifies their struggle in college by saying it will be worth it. They don’t enjoy themselves one bit. What I have realized is that having problems doesn’t mean that solving them can’t be fun. Instead of having to find a solution for marks, we must find a solution to satisfy our thirst for knowledge. And that thirst only arises if you practise your passion.

Now I am here. It was a right decision but for the right reasons. It’s not to chase pain and strength. It’s to learn and have fun. Sure there is sadness but that at the end of the day, looking how much closer it brings me to my goals, it’s worth it.

But voluntary, forced pain is stupid

I assure you: you will have your share of problems later, just enjoy now.