Most of our days are spent consumed with one thing: ourselves. At 20 years old, it is no surprise that we are selfish. In fact, we are supposed to be selfish at this— chasing our dreams to new cities, working hard to land our dream job and create a name for ourself. However, if you are anything like me, you’ve discoverd the secret behind prosperity: success is truly only accompanied by our relationships with one another.
Elon attracts students who are hard working, leaders and most of all, extremely outgoing. Confident students learn from one another and propel this University to a higher academic standing everyday. However, the reason Elon is so special has nothing to do with academics and extracurriculars but rather students’ relationships with one another.
The foundation behind our relationships with one another comes from small gestures of kindness and appreciation. It is actually very simple to make someone else happy: put them first. Forgetting for a moment that college is comprised of self motivated success will open your eyes to real success. A “successful” life may encompass a prestigious job, a fast car or a beautiful house. But, we are only as successful in life as we are successful in our relationships.
Whoever is in world should feel your presence. As humans we long to feel connected, appreciated for our flaws and embraced for all positive attributes that we have to offer. It is impossible to not be selfish at this age, but perhaps we could all be a little more selfless. Putting others before ourselves is not easy, but with practices comes natural generosity. Everyday is a new opportunity to make those around you feel special— successful relationships will lead to a life of true success far beyond our own individual capabilities.