If you were to ask me to define my values in a year, ten years, or fifty years, I would answer with a confident and Canadian “sorry” because I imagine that I will be someone unpredictably different, and I will revel in that fact. Do I see myself at age 65 maintaining the same Sunday morning regimen of stationary biking and, afterwards, gorging myself with eggs benedict? Hopefully so, should my health allow it. What is certain, and I say with the surety of a used-car salesman, is that I will forever hold in esteem the ideas of: 1. Compassion and 2. Empathy. I have been fortunate enough to be placed in a living environment that promotes these ideals and I believe that somewhere near #1.5 lies life.
Living in a boy’s boarding house is much like experiencing “Lord of the Flies” firsthand and has, surprisingly enough, taught me something about compassion. While our Spartan chants of “Bleed Blue” hardly differ from “Kill the Pig,” amidst the chaos of Privett Hallway Wrestling and dirty rugby socks exists a caring brotherhood. From the most minuscule acts of kindness, offering cologne for a first date, to tutoring juniors on economics Tuesday nights, the house’s cordial attitude towards others has …show more content…
We seamlessly segue from late-night study sessions to heated discussions over bagels. Whether we are debating the usefulness of a mustache (he has one and I do not) or the theoretical possibility of the movie “Interstellar,” more often than not, we disagree; yet, paradoxically, our constant misalignment has brought us a closer understanding of each other. Our evening téte-á-tétes have brought me to my own definition of learning: to understand the importance others’ values and to champion the capacity of others to change that of mine. As I progress beyond arguments about mustaches I will continue to engage in scholarly discourse with this
Living in a boy’s boarding house is much like experiencing “Lord of the Flies” firsthand and has, surprisingly enough, taught me something about compassion. While our Spartan chants of “Bleed Blue” hardly differ from “Kill the Pig,” amidst the chaos of Privett Hallway Wrestling and dirty rugby socks exists a caring brotherhood. From the most minuscule acts of kindness, offering cologne for a first date, to tutoring juniors on economics Tuesday nights, the house’s cordial attitude towards others has …show more content…
We seamlessly segue from late-night study sessions to heated discussions over bagels. Whether we are debating the usefulness of a mustache (he has one and I do not) or the theoretical possibility of the movie “Interstellar,” more often than not, we disagree; yet, paradoxically, our constant misalignment has brought us a closer understanding of each other. Our evening téte-á-tétes have brought me to my own definition of learning: to understand the importance others’ values and to champion the capacity of others to change that of mine. As I progress beyond arguments about mustaches I will continue to engage in scholarly discourse with this