One of the toughest things about starting a new semester is dusting off the cobwebs and getting back into the swing of a new routine. Sometimes, that can be a bit daunting to face. In order to get this semester off to a good start, I wanted to share some thought-provoking and inspirational quotes I’ve stumbled upon in a book I read called Essential Wisdom of the World’s Greatest Thinkers by Carol Kelly-Gangi. I think it’s so interesting to consider different ways to view the world around us so I wanted to share a few of them! Here they are:
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” -John Dewey
For me, I feel like it can be really easy to think of college as being a stepping stone into a future career. While this is true, it’s also important to appreciate the value of learning in and of itself which is something I found thought-provoking from this quote. I also think this quote helps encourage students to appreciate the experiences which they are currently having because they, too, are life itself.
“The little unremembered acts of kindness and love are the best parts of a person’s life.” -William Wordsworth
This quote is one of my favorites on here because it encapsulates what it is to be human. Sometimes the very best parts of existing are the parts which you don’t take time to fully recognize.
“Let us dare to read, think, speak and write.” -John Adams
The idea of reading, thinking, speaking, and writing as being daring is something which I love. It also relates back to the first quote for me because sometimes school work can get a bit monotonous but thinking of it from a different point of view could be helpful to remember around midterm week.
“My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” -Desmond Tutu
I love this quote. It made me consider the worth of thinking of humanity as being more of a community and less of isolated individuals. After all, no one is an island unto themselves and this quote sums that up beautifully.
“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.” -Albert Camus
I feel as though it can be really easy for me to think too much about happiness, especially as work piles up throughout the course of the semester. Sometimes it’s important to just take time to enjoy what’s going on around you and what you’re doing without thinking too much about it.
“Silence. All human unhappiness comes from not knowing how to stay quietly in a room.” -Blaise Pascal
This quote especially resonated with me. It can be hard to learn to be content alone sometimes and I think this quote perfectly describes that experience.
“My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with failure.” -Abraham Lincoln
I love the attitude behind this quote. It’s more about what you do with what you’ve already done or been given in life than what you have and I think that’s something very relevant to read and remember before starting another semester.
“In three words I can sum up everything I’ve learned about life: it goes on.” -Robert Frost
This is my favorite quote. Sometimes things can seem to be a bit too big to manage but it’s essential to remember that life truly does go on and that’s all that matters at the end of the day. Some days are better than others but everything keeps on going- life will go on regardless of what is happening and I think that’s a good reminder at the start of another year.