When we were five, we didn’t know the formula for standard deviation.
We didn’t know that countries had boundaries or that those boundaries changed.
We didn’t know how our favorite cereal always ended up in the cupboard or why the tooth fairy, Santa Claus and the Easter bunny all came at night, but we loved that they did. We didn’t know about politics, economics or cultural barriers. However, there are a few things we did know that acted as the building blocks for everything we would come to know.
Robert Fulghum wrote a poem entitled, “Everything I Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten.” These simple things have been the springboard in our lives, allowing us to speak easy and love grandly. Sometimes it is difficult to remember the little things that make us happy and get us excited; the things we long for or that we fear. But if nothing else, we should remember the fundamental rules that life taught us in the sandbox.
Share everything. We learned this waiting in line for the swings on the playground and in the classroom when we shared colored pencils in order to complete our masterpiece. We shared so no one person had everything, but everyone had something. It was this little corner of life that we could make fair. It’s simple. Sharing is demonstrating compassion, a necessary quality for a happy life. Give to someone in need.
Play fair. We loved rules. They provided structure and certainty. Now, we love to break rules. It makes life adventurous and spontaneous! But remember, it is easier to sleep at night when you play fair. Make sure you aren’t setting a double standard for others.
Don’t hit people. It’s not nice. As as we grew up we probably learned that the people you hit tend to be bigger than you. And hit harder. Now we know that violence doesn’t solve our problems, but propels the negative energy.
Put things back where you found them. Being organized makes it easier for you to find the object again and aids in the elimination of stress and worry.
Clean up your own mess. You probably don’t like picking up after others so don’t make them pick up after you. This mess can be a room, a class project, or something abstract, like a night full of bad decisions. Take responsibility for your actions and make moves to clean it up.
Don’t take things that aren’t yours. The Golden Rule, or one of them. If you take something that’s not yours, it’s stealing: toys, books, test answers, girl friends. You get the picture. However, some might say time fits into this category. Time is not yours to take and there isn’t an endless amount of it so live it up and start writing your story.
Say you’re sorry when you hurt somebody. It’s compassion coming around again. Regret and guilt are two things that can eat someone from the inside out and holding on to anger just makes you bitter and age faster. Let’s stay wrinkle-free in our constant state of bliss. If you hurt someone, apologize.
Wash your hands before you eat. Proper personal hygiene is necessary to living a healthy life. I’m sure you all know that once someone gets sick and visits a dining hall, everyone gets sick. Germs travel faster than the UCLA track team. Be proactive and avoid the illness, it will save you from a life of podcasts.
Flush. Always a good idea. Enough said.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you. Sometimes life is rough and you need a little pick-me-up. Chocolate can do the trick. Since when have cookies ever been a bad thing? It’s being comforted by the simple things in life, like a warm, gooey cookie and a little smile, after a day of you against the world.
Live a balanced life. Learn some, drink some, draw some, paint some and sing and dance and play and work every day some. As cliche as it sounds, life is short so best to make the most of the time we have. Yes, we need to plan for the future by working and getting an education, but we need to take time to let the creative side out and explore the world through colors and music and movement. We need to find laughter and make silly memories and that just might be found at the bottom of a glass surrounded by good friends. Taking some time for yourself everyday is necessary to stay happy and healthy.
Take a nap every afternoon. While this might have been the dreaded part of every afternoon as a child, as college students we embrace this little break from reality as it might be the only time we sleep that day. Sometimes these naps take place in our beds, but more often than not, it’s on a couch in Powell or on the grass by Janss Steps. Either way, it gives your brain the time it needs to process information and maintain proper function.
When you go out into the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together. The world can be a cold place, but we learned quickly that everything is easier if you have someone by your side. So be kind, be warm and be friendly. Everyone needs someone and you might be that someone someone needs.
Be aware of wonder. Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that. We need to remember that some things can’t be learned from textbooks and sometimes the only way to uncover an answer is to go out into the world and explore the question. Never stop questioning the world around you. Always think big and have an open heart. The ability to wonder shouldn’t be taken for granted; embrace it, utilize it, explore it.
Goldfish and hamsters all die. So do we. Sometimes, it takes a while to understand and even longer to accept, but eventually we do. But that doesn’t mean this needs to be the focal point of our entire existence. Rather, it should help propel you to start crossing off things from that bucket list you made after seeing the box office hit. Go jump out of a perfectly good airplane or bungee jump off the Golden Gate for no other reason than you can. Dance in the rain, jump in a puddle, karaoke in K-town. Whatever you do, do it with everything you have.
Always remember to look. Sometimes we look, but we don’t see. Be aware of the world around you, where people come from, the pressures and influences that affect them. Be aware of how you interact with the world and look to make sure the trail you’re leaving behind is the legacy you want to be remembered for.
While these rules have developed over the years, they are the foundation necessary to live a happy and healthy life encompassed by passion and curiosity. Our collegiate classes are important, for they will help us with our futures, but we mustn’t forget that everything we needed to know about life, we learned in kindergarten.
