● Fundamental Opportunity

Anna Noumtinis Bilingual Journalist

As we begin the new academic year, I find myself thinking a lot about the word ‘opportunity’. Opportunity carries a lot of weight. Just by saying this word, you can feel its power, and as you should; an opportunity is a powerful thing. Opportunity teaches us what we like and dislike, helps us understand what we want and how we can reach our goals, and helps us to identify our mistakes. Opportunity plays a significant role in each of our lives. Opportunity is essential mainly because it allows us to experience the unfamiliar. These experiences are crucial, especially this academic year, because many of us have not been on campus in over two years. The events we experience help us to learn about ourselves, other people, and the situation in general. For example, you may need to fail a test to realize that you need to adjust your study habits. Of course, failing a test does not feel great, but the emotions of that experience help you to learn how to improve your study habits, and motivate you to do better in the future. In the world of academics, experience is your best friend; only so many textbooks and lectures can teach you about thriving in the real world. Another reason opportunity is so important is that it allows us to acquire new skills through these experiences, which in turn allow us to find different perspectives in our daily lives. Each experience teaches us to adapt our behaviour in a way that enables us to accomplish the task. Working as a receptionist, for example, requires one to be organized, concise, and able to prioritize tasks. And, while reception seems unrelated to zoology, the skills acquired from being a receptionist can be valuable as a research zoologist; it is much easier to write reports and make hypotheses if your field notes are organized and precise. At the moment, specific opportunities might not seem relevant to your interests and goals for the future, but the experience that comes with that opportunity will tell you something: about yourself, about someone else, about the situation, or even about all three! That knowledge will help you with your decision-making and problem-solving in the future, as the skills gained through each experience give you a unique perspective, which can make all the difference. This school year, I encourage you to take every opportunity offered! Take part in school events, join clubs, network with different people in your classes, and open your mind to new things. You never know what you will learn, who you will meet, or what skills you will acquire. One thing is for sure: whatever it is you learn, whoever it is you meet, and whatever it is you achieve, it will add to the unique mosaic of your personality. This will help you to thrive and flourish wherever you go; best of luck this year, Glendonites!