All that we fear as kids is often overpowered by our curiosity for life. The only constraint to our dreams is that of our own imagination. This fearlessness empowers us to constantly explore and seek new answers. Eventually, certain explorations are added to a unique list of hobbies and interests such as sports, school, music, or art.
As we grow older, we dedicate less time to exploration and more time mastering the items on our individualized list. Albert Einstein put it best when he remarked, “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will live its whole life believing its stupid.” His words suggest that humans are not designed for perfection, never the less, each of us is a master of our own trade. This, however, makes me wonder if we have come to live in a world where fish are always expected to stay in the water. Although fish may have their disadvantages, does that mean they should never try climbing?
Each and every one of us is a fish when we first get to college. We are master swimmers in the water which we spent many years, whether it be varsity football, drama club, AP chemistry, or even fortnight. However, college presents the opportunity to explore what Einstein refers to as the uncharted territory of “climbing trees”. And, in making the brave decision to leave the comfort of your own pond, you are bound to be surrounded by people who have been climbing their entire life.
Image source: FOX
Before this fish metaphor turns into a dissertation let me do some translation. All of high school I was someone who preferred to be the captain of the B team rather than one of the weaker players on the A team. This avoidance of challenge transferred over to my first quarter at Davis. I came in undeclared and passionless about any certain subject.
My first mistake was that I began my search in a realm that replicated the comfort of my own pond. I opted to stick with classes that were easy to comprehend and join organizations similar to high school. Eventually, however, the predictability of my days began to bore me. I was looking for passion in a place that I had been searching my entire life. Talk about feeling like a little fish in a big sea. Desperate to find my place, I knew it was time to leave the water and search elsewhere. So low and behold, I signed up for an introduction to programming class.
Image source: Soumil Kumar
A short synopsis of my previous technological abilities can be summed up in one word: non-existent. Therefore, signing up for this class was far from my usual pattern of complacency. During my first week of class, I watched students nod in agreement with the professor while I sat with my mouth open ready to catch a fly. Nevertheless, my hungry curiosity motivated me to start my climb up this new tree.
During those ten weeks, I learned what it means to truly be challenged. For the first time in my life, I was not one of the best players on the team, forcing me to work harder than ever before. But in doing so, I also found out that I was capable of more than ever before. The way I intended to continue my college experience was completely reconfigured. The pond I came from will always be my home; however, I am now forcing myself to endure the discomfort of leaving all that I know and reverting back to my childhood years of exploration.
Image source: Riccardo Bresciani
I believe it is crucial that we all climb new trees during our time here at Davis. In choosing to leave the pond, a door opens to an entire world waiting to be discovered. We must ask ourselves where we want to be when our time in college has passed. My answer is best illustrated by a fish smiling on top of a tree at the water below. And for my own comedic relief, I imagine it to be a binary tree.