Last week, I began to type this list of quotes that I had written out on index cards during my second week of college. These quotes are taped around my desk hutch as reminders to do everything from keeping my cool to being fearless to staying true to myself. As promised, this is a continuation of my list that was published last week (17 Pinterest Quotes That Help Me Through Life).
9. "If You Fail To Prepare, Prepare To Fail" - Ben Franklin
This was a quote that my little brother learned during drum major camp during my senior year of band and it's always stuck in my head. I use this quote on a daily basis as a motivator to get my work done correctly and completely. You should never cut time short for anything, especially when it comes to academics.
10. "You Got This"
This quote is simple and easy to say to yourself at any moment, whether you're taking an exam or dragging yourself out of bed in the morning. As my Odyssey leader always says, "You Got This!"
11. "Be Gentle With Yourself; You're Doing The Best You Can."
Emphasis on "you." You're not like anyone else, especially when it comes to how much you can handle at a time, how you study, or how well you take tests. You should never compare yourself to someone else based on how well they appear to be doing with their life. That never has a positive outcome and isn't a good way to handle stress. Besides, you never know what someone else is going through. To make everything easier, focus on yourself and remember that your best is enough; that's what really matters in the long run.
12. "Throw Kindness Around Like Confetti"
I like this quote partially because it's encouragement to be kind and partially because it just sounds fun. Everyone should be kind, bottom line, at least once a day. Throwing kindness around may be out of your comfort zone, but when you think about it this way, how could anyone not be tempted to be nice?!
13. "If You Stumble, Make It Part Of the Dance"
As a dancer, I truly believe that this quote speaks volumes. When performing, you cannot just stop if you make a mistake. Instead, you have to learn to work off of your mistakes and essentially make them a part of your routine. The same idea goes for life: when you mess up in any way, don't let your mistake get the best of you. Just keep going.
14. "Be Fearless In The Pursuit Of What Sets Your Soul On Fire"
If I had to pick a favorite quote, it'd be this one. As a college freshman, I needed a quote to motivate me to go the extra mile in order to succeed. What better way to do this than through a quote that involves fire, the fiercest element of them all?
15. "Make Choices That Liberate You"
Now, let's not be too hasty: if drinking or smoking isn't your cup of tea, I'm definitely not telling you to go out and get smashed tonight. Liberating yourself means to expose yourself to all sorts of things; to not just keep with that which you're familiar. While familiarity is a good thing, experiencing all that the world has to offer can be rewarding and exciting.
16. "Difficult Roads Often Lead To Beautiful Destinations"
How fitting for a college student. This quote serves as a constant reminder to me that regardless of the hardships I encounter, the overall goal is going to be satisfactory, especially considering all of the struggles I faced to get there.
17. "Holding Onto Anger Is Like Drinking Poison And Expecting The Other Person To Die" - Buddha
As someone who sometimes needs to work on holding grudges, stumbling upon this quote was simply a blessing. It serves as both a reminder and a reality check; You will always have to work with people who you do not get along with. However, letting them get to you and interfere with your work will never be a good strategy. Take deconstructive comments and criticism and throw it away. But never be quick to interpret; always think about both sides of a situation and what may have caused the other person to say or do what they have.
Thank you for taking the time to read through this article (and hopefully it's sister article). Regardless of what stage of life you are in, I hope a few of these quotes will stick with you in times when you need them like they have with me. If you haven't read my article from last week and skipped over the introduction, the link is mentioned there. Have a great week, stay classy, and be kind.
