Edited by: Priyal Mittal
Let me start with a confession- I used to be a no person. No, I don’t want to go to a random poetry slam competition because ‘I don’t do poetry.’ No, I don’t want to join your midnight basketball match because I love my bed. No, I don’t want to come to your karaoke night because nobody needs to hear my rendition of ‘Dancing Queen’ (it’s too long anyway).
But then there came a moment when I found myself in a parking lot at 2am, wearing a Halloween costume and holding a rubber duck, thinking “How did I get here?”
Welcome to the art of saying ‘yes’ in college, which isn’t just about FOMO- it’s about YOLOing your way into becoming the most interesting person at future dinner parties.
The problem with saying ‘yes’ is that it comes with risk. Like agreeing to help a friend ‘just move a few boxes’ which somehow turns into a full blown IKEA marathon. But here’s the thing- sometimes the risk is so worth it. According to a study I just made up, saying ‘yes’ in college increases your chances of starting a story by saying “You won’t believe what happened the other day…” by approximately 100%. The random poetry slam? The snacks were free and I met a lifelong partner in crime who steals pizza with me at every free event. And that basketball match? I was horrible at it but no one noticed because we were too busy laughing.
But, not all ‘yes(es)’ are equal.
- Helping a friend with an FC assignment? Yes. (boring but builds good karma)
- Karaoke? Yes. Singing high notes? No. (learned that the hard way)
- Building a fort from pillows because adulthood is one big scam? ABSOLUTELY.
The key is to aim for adventures that won’t lead to you calling your parents to have ‘that’ conversation before the warden calls them.
Case Study #1- Friend A said ‘yes’ to doing stand up comedy in front of 30 people in the dhaba, despite having had his family WhatsApp group as his only audience. Here’s what he learnt:
- He is surprisingly good at thinking on his feet
- Jokes about mess food always land
- Theatre kids are really fun to hang out with
Case Study #2- Friend B said ‘yes’ to performing at her first open mic night despite having only played the guitar for three months. Here’s what she learnt:
- Stage fright is temporary, Instagram stories are forever
- Three chords are technically enough for a song
- The audience is actually rooting for you
The Side-Effects of saying ‘yes’:
- An impressive collection of themed costumes
- The ability to sleep literally anywhere, including while standing
- Learning to juggle (literally and metaphorically)
- Getting really good at explaining things to RAs
- Gaining unshakeable confidence because you’ve already embarrassed yourself in every way possible
Advanced ‘yes’ techniques (try at your own risk):
The two-time: Saying yes to two things at once and treating it like a sitcom episode
The Retroactive yes: Claiming that you meant to do embarrassing things on purpose
The Strategic No: Saying no to actual work so you can say yes to something more fun
Will saying yes to everything in college sometimes lead to questionable decisions? Absolutely. Will some of these decisions actually turn out to be surprisingly valuable life lessons? Against all odds, yes. The thing about college is that it’s one big messy experiment in trying to figure out who you are. And the only way to figure that out is by trying new things- especially the ones that seem ridiculous at first. Saying ‘yes’ is not just about having fun; it’s about opening doors to new people, places, and experiences that you otherwise might not have encountered. College is full of big moments- internships, graduation, life changing decisions. But the real magic is in the little things. It’s in the spontaneous ‘yes’ that leads to memories you never stop reminiscing about.
Everytime I used to score badly on a test in school, my mom used to say “5 years from now and you won’t even remember this.” However, cliche that might sound, I now realise she was right. Years from now, you won’t remember the nights you used to stay in to study (although your GPA might appreciate that). So here’s my advice: Say yes. Not to everything, but to the little things- the midnight chai runs, the last minute plans, the silly ideas that sound a little too crazy. These are the moments that make these few years unforgettable. And when someone asks you to join in their 3am pancake making session? Say yes. Worst case scenario, you burn a pancake. Best case, you make new memories. Either way, you win.
Just don’t say yes to experimenting with mess food combinations. That’s where we draw the line.