This was my mom’s favorite thing to quote to me growing up as she would pull me out of school for the day to go on a trip to a museum, zoo or to go snorkeling at the beach!
Harvard attracts people who are uncommon among uncommon people. You're not just supposed to be a braniac in harvard, you also have to be good at sports as well as have some interesting hobbies.
Like they said in the tv-series Awkward after a Chinese character didn't get a perfect score: "[Asian Name]'s parents doesn't even think that she is Asian anymore."
Sure it sounds like “humble bragging” but the point is to show that even when you reach what is considered the pinnacle of academic success, if you don’t live your own life and pursue your own goals then it’s all just a waste of time
It's not quite black and white. Yes, you have mastered a process. You are reacting to the requests of your environment and you are good at it. Now that you've got a 4.0 GPA you feel unfulfilled but don't forget what got you to this place to begin with. If you hadn't invested yourself and developed the discipline to master subjects, you would have not gotten into Harvard to begin with. Please be careful with this mindset. I have fallen many times in it and it screwed things for me. For example, I like to wake up early in the morning and many times I felt sad or heartbroken that I couldn't stay up late, have fun, enjoy my life and that I had to wake up at 5 AM. And you know what? I've stopped doing it and after a few months, I've recalled WHY I've decided to engage in this habit. Everything has a pay price per action. You can either party or you can study. You can either eat healthy or eat foods that taste very well. Just because you are missing out on something this doesn't make it a failure. It's that price per action. On the other hand, would you feel more satisfied if you would spend all your day producing videos and fail at Harvard? Would you consider that a success? You'll always feel like you're missing out on something in life. Have a girlfriend, want to mess around. Messing around, want a real thing. Have a business, want the security of a job. Have a job, want the freedom of a business. In my (subjective) view having a 4.0 GPA at Harvard is quite an accomplishment and I would focus on maintaining this. Every day you have a choice between the hard way that may or may not feel nice and the easy way that's always convenient to get. Don't ruin a good thing for yourself. Happiness comes from pursuing things we're good at, because of the feedback loops that it involves. Learn to love what you're doing again and try and regain your focus. Of course, it's easy for me to talk about what you should do nor not since I'm not in your place. Everything I have written above is based on my own experience of mastering something and then feeling that I'm missing out on something else.
I think you are missing the point of this video. By concentrating less on GPA he doesn't mean he is going to slack off. Instead he is saying he wants to apply some of that time to what he believes will prove more productive for him in the long run, such as reading, learning to be a better video content creator, etc. He is not making this decision because he's sick of studying, rather it's a conscious evaluation on what his goals in life are and deciding that devoting 100% to schoolwork isn't going to help him achieve them. There is a major difference. Therefore your question "Would you feel more satisfied if you would spend all your day producing videos and fail at Harvard" is pretty impertinent here, because he's not going to do a complete 180 and deliberately fail out of school. Critical thinking goes beyond "one or the other". It's about tailoring your life so that it progresses in the direction that brings you closer to your goals.
You’re the only logical, rational person in this comment section lol. There is nothing mind blowing about this kid’s video; he’s just some kid feeling unfulfilled even when he’s supposed to have it all. It’s an ancient story that has all rung true to all of us at some point. He’ll only really feel content when he stops searching for fulfillment. It is human nature to always want more but you have to learn to control that. You have to learn to appreciate what you have. He’s still young and this is the first time he’s on his own from mommy and daddy so he thinks this mindset is groundbreaking. Soon he’ll learn he still feels unfulfilled. Eventually he’ll figure out he needs to stop searching for a purpose and then that longing for more will ease off. Going with the flow of life, being more “reactionary” as he says, is the only way of living that won’t drive you crazy.
This is my favorite video of yours. Putting aside how much better you're getting at filmmaking on a technical level, this is really relatable. Sometimes I get so caught up in pursuing excellence that I forget that I'm pursuing someone else's definition of excellent for my life- and that's really unfulfilling. Keep up good work and I love your channel
After graduating from university (which is one of the top universities in my country) I realised that it was never about GPA. It is about how many things you experienced. In university it is best to life the life fully, meet new people, hain good friendships, read books, discover yourself..These kind of things help you more in the life after graduation. 💜 Edit after 2 years: Hello, I didn't realize that I got many replies. First of all, English is not my native language and sorry for the many grammar mistakes which seem to annoy you very much. However, my lack of English skills did not stop me from getting 2 Master's degrees in English ;) Second, this is not only about money. I know that some of you need to get perfect grades in order to get scholarships and that is totally understandable. However, this not the only case for everyone. I am coming from a low-mid wage income. Even though my GPA was not that high, I still managed to get scholarships for my Bachelor's and Master's education. Because I managed to show people that I have other skills and interest than just studying really hard. Plus, I had part-time jobs. What I was trying to say 2 years ago is the fact that you don't look back and remember your grades and GPA, when you graduated from the university. You remember the things you enjoy learning, hobbies and interest you gained, things you experienced with your friends, the skills you gained etc. When I was in my 2nd year at the university, I have realized that I didn't have any hobbies or things that made me relax or happy because the only thing I knew was to study. I always loved reading, writing and studying, but they became an obligation in my life rather than being the things that gave me joy. That's why it is important to understand that the life is not all about studying. We should give permission to ourselves to do the things we love and enjoy just for us, not for others. When you get into working life or even post-graduate, your GPA does not mean much. People ask you about your interests, hobbies, languages you know, places you travelled, the skills you have, your dreams and passions. I am not saying that my experience will be the same for everyone in the world, but this was something I learnt by myself. I hope this can be helpful to at least a few of you. I wish someone told me not to worry too much about these when I was younger and enjoy my life and find out the things that make me happy. Your value cannot be measured with your grades. I hope you can find things make you feel good and happy without other people's expectations. PS: Probably I am going to forget this comment again and check in 2 years. So, I will ready for the comments that will roast me.
Why do people keep saying that he is showing off or being arrogant about his academic success that he worked very hard for? Isn’t - following that logic - owning a nice car or house or even just wearing expensive clothes showing off as well? And we usually don’t give people shit for that. The point he’s trying to make, that no matter how much success you seem to be having (academically or otherwise), if you’re not happy with the way that you live your life in order to achieve the aforementioned success, it ultimately becomes shallow and meaningless („a failure“), is a valid life lesson that has nothing to do with showing off.
there's a difference between just having a nice car/house and telling everyone (stating the obvious) around you that you have a nice car/house & then saying you're not happy w/ it; i think a genuine argument would be not attending college but self-teaching your self coding and creating a business from those skillsets - that truly conveys passion
This video helped me a lot, John. I realized that I have started to base my self-worth and mood through the day or even week on how well I do on exams and it is not helping my pursuit of happiness and meaning in life. Not at all. I've seen this video before, in high school. But now I'm almost done with my first semester in college and with final exams coming up, I'm starting to wonder why I spend hours studying something to perfection when I can be doing something I am passionate about, instead? I'd like to thank you for this video because not only did it make me come to an understanding that GPA doesn't mean everything, so I shouldn't really beat myself up over it. Of course, I'm still going to work hard for the sake of learning, but if I feel as though I would be happier writing music or reading then I'll do that instead. Once again, thanks, John.
Yeah amassing debt that you’ll probably never pay off to be cut off from doing anything worthwhile for years to get a degree that you won’t use is living life to the full.
@@joelek19 how do you know he has debt? There’s financial aid and scholarships who can easily take care of that financially, and if a degree wasn’t useful why do you think ppl attend college? Especially considering he goes to Harvard speaks for itself.
@@izzy5845 hahahaha people go to college so it must be useful 😂, perhaps the silliest reasoning you could have on a matter is arguing that people do something so it must be good.. the most successful people didn’t you’ll probably find out & almost everyone who has (in the U.S) has left or dropped out with debt and a lack of employment opportunities, in Europe university is free almost everywhere, college is the same.. even that can easily be considered a waste of time, if you were smart and had money you would invest in your own idea or even a simple business with some part time education and a means to enjoy your life while you’re young, not spending years and an unholy amount of money on studying a field you’ll never be employed in.
@@montagez3651 nope.. I studied accountancy at college (never used it) worked as a builder at the same time, saved my money and started my own cleaning business when I was 18.. wound up only needing to work 4 days a month and travelled a lot of the world in that time & managed to pay my way completely and never ever borrowed a cent or went into debt, managed to pay rent to my mom every month since I was 16.. sold my work and moved to The coast in Poland and became a teacher and have had a great time not being stuck in a university dorm and instead taught at one 😂😂
I discovered your channel last week when i was browsing videos to make me feel motivated in my college. I must say, your drive and perspective in life is just so contagious. Keep doing what you love man. Wish you all the best!
Your channel is honestly like no other that I have watched - I absolutely love love love it. After watching this video its made me realise the truth that potentially I have been avoiding for a while, and that is that I don't feel I have any drive anymore, I don't know what I love, I feel at school it is very easy to get caught up in the whole studying, but not actually loving what you do or finding it interesting - its all just working towards a grade. After this video I feel motivated to go out and seek what inspires me and gets me excited in life. Please keep up the videos !!!
also feel the same, but i have no idea how to find something im passionate about. i’m so stressed out and worried about grades and everything else, and school honestly has drained everything out of me. agh, why am i like this.
I went to college for 2 years, got and associates in buisness finance, but I had plans for 4 years. I realized that school wasn't making me happy. Nor was the outcome of finishing 4 years and constantly worrying if my GPA, would be worthnit in the end. As a resukt, my sophomore year I got a part time job at a mechanic shop. Cars had been a passion of mine all throughout highschool. Once I left school, I took my degree and started my own small buosness. It's nothing huge, I don't make a killing, but I'm happy. People put to much importance on education first, before finding ehat they want to do. Just food for thought foe any of those about to start their first semester of college.
this video is amazing. I wholeheartedly respect and enjoy the views involved in the content of the video. You're doing an excellent job of learning, growing, pursuing, and that's all a person can ask for, in reality. I am looking forward to watching the rest of your videos! P.S: Please make a list of the books you read, are reading, and would like to read. I'm sure, not just myself, will be interested in seeing your selection! x
Luis Luis Woah, thanks man! Appreciate it! And if the stars align and my luck is 100/10, probably UC Berkeley, Stanford, or MIT. Those are my top choices. Wbu
Luis Luis I live in Southern California so I know what you mean! Haha. My mom makes around 18,000 a year so I’m really relying on that for financial aid but regardless i am applying for scholarships. As to what I want to major in, I’m not sure! There’s SOOOO many choices!! Right now I am interested in architecture/engineering but I’m also interested in people’s health so medicine and what’s happening in the world so political science or law.
Luis Luis wow thank you! I really appreciate this! I’m a freshman at the moment (almost a sophomore) and last semester I had a 3.5 unweighted, 3.9 weighted and this semester I a 4.0 unweighted and a 4.4 weighted. The thing is, for sophomore year I’ll be transferring to a college prep high school where I will be taking a college class every semester. I’m hoping that will be my advantage when I apply for colleges since I’m planning on receiving my associates degree within the next 3 years!
Thanks so much for this upload! I'm off to college in the fall, and I've noticed recently I've also been falling into a very "reactive" life style. I want to succeed in college, but that success isn't only qualified by academic performance. Because in going to college we're not going there to learn how to be a student, we're going there in preparation to function in the real world. I'm making sure to add this to my favorites on RU-vid, so in the future it'll be easier not to forget about what's most important, which is frankly a person's happiness and well-being.
You inspire me so much. I’m only a freshman in high school, but my dream school is Harvard (as I’m sure everyones is) and it feels so unrealistic, but watching your videos makes me want to be proactive and pursue the things I love and potentially end up in my dream school. Thank you for making these videos and I hope you continue to do so.
hey, I was in the same boat a short while ago, and a question I really wish someone asked me back then is: what do you care about? why do you want to go to Harvard in the first place? it's good to be ambitious and driven but make sure you're directing your efforts into living your own life. harvard will open doors but it won't fix all your problems
Could you do a video on how you take notes/do homework and study for tests? You mentioned it in a previous video, and I would really like to see your methods.
My dad is a professor micro-nano tech, my mom is even smarter than him, but she became a house wife. They planned out my entire youth. Everything I did, was because they told me I should do it. After finishing my masters, I fell in a dark pit. I did not know what to do with my life, I did not know what my passion is in life... I had several jobs lined up (all through my parents), but I rejected all of them.. Im 25 now and I am going back to school to study composing and audio engineering. I will probably make far less as a musician/producer, but I don't care. Living a happy and fulfilling life is more important than material excessiveness. Anyways, good thinking! I had to find this out after my study, whereas you found out during, (probably why you're at Harvard and I wasn't). PS, you overdid it on the B-roll. Other than that, nice video!
I'm proud of you bro! Sometimes we have to take the wrong ways in order to be sure about what we want. That journey was very important for you to understand that you want to study audio engineering. Good luck! (Sorry for bad English)
A 4.0 at Harvard is not hard to achieve when the mean class grade is an A-. I might just be a salty Cornell student but we work just as hard for lesser grades.
Be proud my dude. I am graduating soon with a B-ish average at Boston College but I ain't letting that bring me down. Sure I messed up a few times during a few semesters of the 4 years I attended, but when i look back on it now it is failure that makes you succeed. Without failure you cannot learn, and I am thankful for getting some C's in a few classes but we all learn from our mistakes and do better the next time.
This is one of the best videos I've seen in a while. I'm in senior year of high school and I feel like the past 6 months have just been this - applying to colleges, studying for finals, and basically letting go of everything I was actually passionate about in high school. I still have finals for another month, but after, I have a 6 month summer before college and I've been making a bucket list of all the things i want to do. I'm starting an internship in April, going on a solo trip in May, and going back to volunteering throughout. I'm going to learn how to drive(the legal age is 18 in my country), learn a new language, and catch up on so many Tv shows and movies I didn't get the time to watch these past few years. The proactive vs reactive point you made really resonated with me and this video is really motivating me to go after these goals I have. Thanks John, and kudos to you for prioritising your passions.
I can completely relate. I’m in grade 11 right now and about 2 months ago I completely cut off my social media and also deleted all my games on my computer. I started reading way more and started focusing more on what I’m passionate about!
You're wise for your age, my friend. I have seen so many people slip into the mindset of "for now," and then stay there forever, never finding what they truly want to do or be. Staying mindful and pursuing your own goals amidst the stresses of university must be difficult, but I commend you for working hard to do it.
For me, it has been hard to deal with responsabilities and others expectations, but you’re so right about pursuing your passions than choosing to just follow what people asks you to do. Thanks for making it clear!
Props to you man. We live in a world that is consumed by social media and superficial things; and you removing that from your life shows you are one of the 1% of the population who strive to use their time wisely, efficiently, and productively.
It was intentional, signifying the overwhelming amount of schoolwork he has been doing, and how’s it engulfing his life...thought that was kinda obvious
I feel like school just tests our memory which is okay but it also and has us take orders from someone else who is considered better than us which honestly scares me
What you said about reacting is what I’ve come to realize about my life. Im a rising senior and almost outta time here in school and I’m completely lost because I don’t know what my passions are - or rather how to pursue them
you're opening my eye on so many things I so gratrfull that i clicked on this video what you said made me think differently about so many stuff i am doing and thinking about that i might have lost passions of mine and i am not really aware of this. I started to think how my life would be if i lost my passion solely. I am so gratefull❤
That's so true! I'm ready to sign every word. Last month I started realizing it and now I'm trying to deal with it by spending more time on doing what I'm passionate about. I stopped worrying about my grades and finally started digging into different subjects. Now it's like one of my greatest achievements so far and what I'm proud of right now. Life has got way better and more enjoyable. I cannot even put it in words and say how happy I am right now. Btw, the more videos I watch on your channel, the more I feel this connection that unites all us, students, haha. Good luck with everything! And keep making your videos.
1. don't be always on social media. delete your social media. enjoy nature/environment rather than being on mobile majority of the time. 2. be passionate 3. be proactive and do the things which will make you productive 4. start reading books 5. don't lose your passion. rather work for it along with maintaing cgpa/sgpa
This is exactly how I've been feeling since freshman year. I got A's and everything but i felt that was just me doing work and turning it in. I wasn't soaking up the education therefore i felt like a failure.
Hey i have been watching your vdos for two days now and it has potentially changed the way i see things, for instance, reading books and time management. Just so you know, your gift is really your attitude :) Many thanks for guiding my life to more awesome ways of learning. 😁😁😁 Boat from Bangkok, Thailand.
This lifted my spirits so much. This last semester at my university I completely ignored everything. As a result I started to read books, started daily meditation, went to church weekly, became more mindful in general, got rid of awful friends, found new friends, found a girlfriend, fell in love, took up daily 5k first thing in the morning, cold showers, stopped watching porn, took up nofap. It all cought up to me 4 weeks ago. I started to feel like a failure. I felt stressed and small. I midght have to repeat some courses next year. But I wasnt reacting. And that is why I am not a failure. I want to thank you for making me see this way. My semester is still not over. Now I have to get my sh*t together and do a lot of work.
“Follow your bliss (things that made you fee alive whether they pay or not) and doors will open where there were no doors before.” ― Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth
Since youtube recommended your videos to me I tried to avoid it. The reason was that watching your videos made me feel a failure. A useless person that is just wasting my time in my life but after watching your 4 videos. I can say to myself that I can learn from it and I gotta accept the fact that I need to change. KUDOS to you😇😇😇
Got a 4.0 first semester of university and I’m so glad I changed my priorities after. Still maintaining a 3.5+ gpa and I’m so much happier. We need to have balance.
This guy was in my recommended. He ended up changing my whole perspective on education and lifestyle with one video. I love your videos John, keep it up.
My parents would be so proud of me omg. I’m bombing my algebra tests and struggling just to force myself to actually do work. Ugh why can’t I naturally be smart or have a passion to.
Some people just aren't born with the education system's definition of 'smart'. I believe everyone is smart, because 'smart' isn't just being good at math or english. You can be smart with music, mechanics, art, and so much more. The problem is, the education system tries to define smart as just math and English. You are probably smart in something, you just need to find what your smart in
Can really relate to this in my first year of University, I did very well but never was proactive. Now I'm in my second year of a 5 year degree and I've started doing a lot more for me. I feel like I'm actually living my life now. I'd hate to look back and say that I spent half a decade of probably some of the best years of my life not doing anything I really loved.
I don’t want to say that you are wrong or anything like that, but a couple of months ago you said that you’re not at Harvard for being an average college student, but you are there to excel. Keep in mind that, as I don’t think it was wrong. Exploit the occasion you have buddy
I think an average college student strives for a 4.0, while an exceptional one can keep a 4.0 while striving to pursue their passions. That's where I'm at.
The last part of last year happened the same to me. I though that having a break from social media was a thing only celebrities can do. But i found myself spending an unhealthy amount of time on my phone or computer. And feeling less like myself, so i deleted every app that made me feel like that and had an amazing time redescovering activities i'd like like swimming or drawing, and having time to balance them with university. I'm feeling really good now and you don't really need social media. You're amazing, and i hope you're feeling great by now Hope you
Great video. It’s great that you have this level of self awareness while you’re still in college so you can adjust and live those precious years to your full potential. This is going to sound like I’m bragging, but I graduated college with an overall GPA of 3.9 and thought I was hot shit because I was top of my class. But then when I got into the real world I realized I didn’t have any passions or goals to aspire towards anymore, because success is no longer as simple as getting a high GPA. Once I realized success is much more complicated, I didn’t know what I want to do in life anymore. I lost all passion and fell into a state of depression. I quit working around 8 months ago and I’ve been unemployed since, feeling completely lost and confused about what I want to do with my life. Sorry for the rambling, but this video strongly resonated with me. This video shows that not only are you very smart, but you’re very wise as well. I REALLY wish I could have seen this video while I was a freshman at college. It would have probably changed my life.
Try getting an interview with 3.3 GPA from a decent university, but not top tier like Harvard. You'll Gonna wish you had a 4.00. when those student loans come calling, the bills piling up, and trying to save up for a house, your Gonna wish you had a 4.00. truth is, 4.00 gets you internships, and then the internships grow into careers. That career will allow you to be independent and pursue your passion financially. I say suck it up and work your ass off for 4 years and then turn lose when you land your career. Because now a days, there's 100+ applicants for every opening, and you need to beat them all out for one job. The only way is internship experience (obtained with high GPA) and your high GPA.
While I want to agree a high GPA and good school will give him options. Maybe you just lack skills, and redeeming qualities in general. I had a 3.6 at 1 point. But, I am weak at math, and was just trying to graduate. Took nursing chem and a+p and some other classes for 18 credits. Never bothered to actually study it past highschool. Got 90 average in lab, and passed my finals with 80s-100s turned in all my papers. Got the degree. Got into law school withdrew for personal reasons. Got a job working with FEMA people. Got a STEM job lined up. Making other moves offered a master's fellowship which helps me cover my edu, my bills, and eventually will earn what my bachelor's was supposed to get me. I could join higher risk jobs, but I'd rather not.
Ugh I honestly hate when video essayists and vloggers do this @ 1:16 and about every transition in this video. They say I "want to tell you why" or "this is how" or something along those lines and then instead of like a regular speaking you go into a meaningless transition that doesn't contribute to the video at all and detaches the viewer for the sake of some eye candy and artsy shots. It doesn't even build out the environment or give the water any sense of why this has value because it's often times so random and of a finger pushing an elevator button. Just everything about it is so extraneous. Now if that transition had to do with the actual point of the essay then great except like in this case it doesn't. Other than the very specific gripe I have with that way of shooting things and making video essays this video is really good.
Ah I’m glad u came to this realization man. It’s pretty crazy to see how easily people fall into this trap. We all have the potential to get a 4.0 but it’s crazy to see how much u have to sacrifice
John Fish hey could you make a video on how to call functions correctly as well as how to properly pass arguments into a function using parameters? (In C++)
thanks for the plug 1:19 I saved the webpage... and also take cue from Joe Kennedy...If you're a skinny lipped white guy? careful lipbalm application before taping...works the same way with extra lips like “Catwoman” Wildenstein...Its a distraction....
Mind Intact not really. That's how you find out what you're truly passionate about, trying different things. That's also how you grow and become knowledgable and well rounded, by trying new, different things. It's never a waste of time.
I've been watching your videos since yesterday and I find your perspective so valuable and inspirational. Actually, I can say that no one has ever made me switch perspective in such a short period of time. I really do underestimate the power of balancing and diversifying life on school, but you made it so clear that it can still have a great impact as we get more happy, balanced, and fullfilled.
Hi! I like the way you think, I know.. at some point in our lives we strive to become ideal people and after a long time control our desire for discipline. When we reach the end, we forget how to live. I've seen a lot of videos about people who could do something beautiful in their lives, like getting into a prestigious university or getting a good job, but in the end they just kept living that way. You are unique. You have already reached high grades and you do not think like "I have to keep this level for ever." You just said : "Oh, it's a nice feeling, but not so satisfactory, so let's try something else." I remembered the book "Who Moved My Cheese Piece?" .. You're not average , that's what I thought of when I watched your video. . know that your message has reached the other side of the world. So keep going ~
I am actually struggle with this problem now. Getting into my dream college and working hard on grades or everything job-related makes me feel lost. Each time i just told myself---"Okay, I am gonna leave this (my passion, my interests) after i have done the assignment, tests, exams..." But indeed, I seldom really commit them later on. I feel that I am wasting my time on all the theories and lose the interests of expanding my knowledge. However, different from what you did, I was thinking about withdrawing from college for a little bit, and recharge myself. I am still struggled with this though.
Is RU-vid social media do I have to uninstall RU-vid... How do I keep watching your videos them ....please someone help I wish I can be as serious as he is and not just stop after a week
Immediately subscribed after this because it was so beautifully done and I loved the message. Thankyou for inspiring and motivating me and really just opening my eyes to something wonderfully amazing in my own life ♡ . Also you're really cute heyyyy
If you can do whatever else while maintaining a 4.0 GPA, then fine. But it's only four years of your life and, if you can manage to graduate from Harvard with a 4.0 in a useful field of study (sounds like CS), then you can do whatever you want for the rest of your life. Your passion? It can wait a few years. You said, "looking back five years from now," well, it is more likely that you will look back five years from now and say, "That was a brief period of my life when I should have remained totally focused on my studies and grades and it would have benefited me for the rest of my life. I wish I had kept up that 4.0 instead of letting it slip to a 3.5 and justify it at the time by saying it was important to 'follow my passions.'" You will have time to follow your passions later and you will have an easier time of it if you do so with a 4.0 GPA CS degree from Harvard on your resume. Trust me. It is nothing that can't wait and you will be graduated before you know it.
Gillian Orley I see what you’re saying here but I don’t agree. Especially in a field like CS, graduating with a perfect average isn’t considered an huge difference maker for hiring, or for life in general. That’s not to say that maintaining a high average isn’t valuable. It absolutely is. But the point of his video isn’t that he’s going to slack, it’s about adding priorities for his interests - essentially adding autonomy and self directed learning to his curriculum. That’s a lot more valuable that an additional .2 or .3 on your GPA.
this kind of response pisses me off. it boils any self-investment deviating from conventional success into a waste of time. you are right that studies are important, but you forget that he's in Harvard. he's shown academic prowess and investment already; just because he spends some time on himself doesn't mean that he's sabotaging himself. the whole point of the video is that by falling into the mindset of "I'll prepare... for now..." he had no self-definition. he kept working to fulfill others and set himself up for a "comfy life" when he didn't even know what he found comfy. and when does it stop, anyways? when do you truly stop focusing on your career? life's a bitch all the way through. it's not about the 4.0, it's about the mindset. the 4.0 will only turn into a pay raise, a promotion, etc... the 4.0 won't fix all his problems. this kid clearly cares about academics - he goes to harvard for crying out loud. but his work-life balance collapsed. if you're being responsible, what's the harm in investing in yourself? it might even motivate you to get that 4.0 even more...
64_bit None of what you say will matter if his GPA drops. He will be judged by his GPA. It’s just that simple. For how long? Until he graduates. He should keep focused on his grades until he graduates. Then he can take a break. His 4.0 GPA will still be there if he takes a break AFTER he graduates. If he loses focus BEFORE he graduates and his GPA drops, then that lower GPA with still be there after he has taken a break. When he tries to get a job, it will be with a lower GPA and a potential employer won’t care about why his GPA isn’t 4.0. Does that mean he won’t be able to get a job with a 3.8 rather than a 4.0 GPA from Harvard? No. Of course not. But it may mean that he will lose out on an opportunity that he really wants if some OTHER candidates for the same position have a 4.0 and he has a 3.8. All I’m saying is that college isn’t very long. It’s not the rest of your life. He’s got less than 4 years left. THEN he can take a break. College is not the time for that.
@@gillianorley of course he'll miss out on some job opportunities, but a) he's a CS grad. in CS, connections + resume, GitHub repo wise, matter a whole lot more than the prestige you get from a school. and b) it's not all about "peak performance". you said it yourself - he will be fine with a 3.8. but leaving some time to find himself - which, mind you, is a HUGE part of college - will help him further understand what the hell he even wants to do with the education he's received and get a larger head start on his career. I think that's a pretty important thing to make a small sacrifice for. and even "self-understanding aside", it'll help prevent a lot of burnout and regret.
I really like the way you portray yourself in your videos. It's not always about pleasing others, it's about how you develop as a person. Very positive stuff. It's funny, because I usually find myself getting bored/leaving halfway whenever I come across someone else rambling on and on about something as trivial as grades.
Can you make a video about preparing for semester exam ? And tackling the semester. How much do you practice problems in a semester,.Do u do it daily or just in exams and homeworks etc etc
Aiden G he’s for sure above average intelligent and also disciplined + hard working which makes him excel outstandingly. Don’t get ashamed by his results. Just work on your self as much as possible and you will grow in to your best version (which is a John fish version of you or even better, if that makes sense)
This makes so much sense! I’ve been bummed out with school lately and I realize it’s for this exact same reason after watching this. Gotta make room for fun. Can’t let school and social media consume you.
It feels like it has been harder for you to make your life outside of school healthier than gettinf 4.0 at harvard. Maybe it's just that we are blind from the things we are really good at? Keep it up, im trying to improve my life outside of school too, hardest thing iv'e ever done!
