It’s been a handful of months since I submitted my final assignment of my undergraduate university life on NUS’ online database, thus signifying an end to my university life. I remember being slouched on my sofa, preparing to submit a 1,000 word essay speculating about what the Singaporean government should do in response to a hypothetical Chinese invasion over the island of Taiwan. With that, it was essentially the final point of what I regarded as the best part of my life.

Even as I’ve just entered a whole new season of my life, having taken on my first full-time job, I still like to often reflect back on the decisions I made during my four years as an NUS student, as well as to reminisces the happy memories that I’ve made – whether it be the silly moments of my hall life as a freshman, or the feeling of satisfaction after finishing my thesis, or the great discussions I had with friends at VCF. And it’s important to me that I leverage as much value from all the experiences I had while moving transitioning into being a full-time working adult.

With that in mind, I would like to share lessons I’ve learned from my time as an NUS – lessons that I especially hope that those who are still in university, or about to start their university journey, will be able to.

Treasure your time there

James 1:17 tells us that every gift in our lives is ultimately from our Heavenly Father. I would urge any Christian who is still in uni, or about to enter, to view their time studying in university as a blessing, rather than a burden. It’s true that there are a lot of difficulties that come as a part of being a university student, whether it be the long hours in finishing up assignments, the pressures of participating in committees or even planning what career you want to take up upon graduation. However, based on my experience, the riches of university life more than make up for these difficulties.

One thing that I would definitely urge anyone who is still in university to treasure is the relative flexibility you get with your time and schedule. Such flexibility is in very short-supply for the vast majority of people upon entering the full time working world. I remember recently hanging out with three of my friends, who are all still in uni, on a weekday night, after I was done with another long day of work. While they all arrived from home in casual clothes, I was in my office attire for about 10 hours. And while they seemed to be more well-rested, being on holiday, I was rather flattened by exhaustion by my day at work. It really highlights the distinction between the lifestyle of a university student and a full-time working adult.

Beyond just the time-related convenience and flexibility, however, there is almost no life stage which is as conducive for discovering more of who you truly are deep down. You have more freedom, in most cases, to choose what courses you want to study, what activities you want to join, how you want to arrange your day-to-day schedule, and the type of friends you want to hang around (more on that later). And, when it comes down to it, there is a lot more fun that you experience in university than with later stages of life, with the events, activities and banter.

So keep a sense of perspective, be grateful for the unique opportunities that come as part of university life, and treasure your time there as it will not last forever.

“Beyond just the time-related convenience and flexibility, however, there is almost no life stage which is as conducive for discovering more of who you truly are deep down.”

Learn in a holistic manner

The term ‘lifelong learning’ is a term that is thrown around a lot, especially when it’s older people who are referring to themselves. Having said that, it’s actually a very important thing for young people to hold to.

It is very important to discern and embrace all the lessons that God is showing you during this season. This is not merely about the lessons in the classroom – if anything, that only constitutes a small part of it – but about the broader life lessons university life will teach you. To put it another way, yearn for wisdom beyond just academic knowledge. The entire book of Proverbs is devoted to the idea of gaining wisdom in all of life, including in our most basic human behaviours.

You will find that much of your education within your field of study can seem tedious, or possibly irrelevant to the important things you will do later on in life. In spite of that, I would still urge students to embrace the knowledge that they pick up in class. I find that it is a very underrated skill to absorb knowledge that most people don’t know, as it will give you a better understanding of the world that you can explain to others and impress people – whether it comes to insights around history, sociology, psychology, biomedical engineering or architecture.

Aside from your academic studies, however, still realise that is only one part of your learning journey, and should never be the sole focus of your time as a university student. In fact, I would gauge that a truly flourishing university experience will mean that your studies only constitutes around 25-30% of what you learn at university. Aside from that, you will figure out how to relate to different people, what to prioritise in your schedule, how to meet deadlines etc. That will also teach you how to improve as a person in more concrete ways.

“Yearn for wisdom beyond just academic knowledge. The entire book of Proverbs is devoted to the idea of gaining wisdom in all of life, including in our most basic human behaviours.”

Be prudent in finding company

There’s a common saying out there that you are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with. I am not sure whether this has been backed up by any scientific metrics, but it is a principle that resonates a lot with me. It reinforces the need to choose your friends wisely.

The thing is, how you find company at university is quite different from the other stages of life that a young person in Singapore goes through. In school, when you are younger, the group of friends you end up will generally form organically right before your eyes, as a rule of thumb. Whereas, with university, you will need to be more intentional in putting yourself out there to build a group of friends.

You will need to be prudent in deciding on what type of people you want as your main influences. Will they be people defined by arrogance and unwholesome behaviour? Or will they be people who treat you with proper dignity, who exhibit kindness and integrity, and who inspire you to truly improve yourself as a person? Also, you should be mindful about what kind of habits they lead you toward – whether it is a party lifestyle with much drinking and clubbing, or activities that are more wholesome and enriching.

Practically, you will need to find a specific environment where you find your main group of friends will appear. This is because university tends to be a large place with many different subsets. For example, many halls and residential colleges end up building a whole subculture and heritage of their own. Different CCAs, in different areas such as sports, arts and volunteerism, will attract a certain. Even campus fellowships serve as a unique distinction from other parts of university life, from the way its activities and community operates. My recommendation is to prayerfully discern which of these environments God will lead you towards, so that you will be truly enriched and blessed by the company you find.

“In school, when you are younger, the group of friends you end up will generally form organically right before your eyes, as a rule of thumb. Whereas, with university, you will need to be more intentional in putting yourself out there to build a group of friends.”

Using your education to your advantage

Lastly, you need to recognize the real privilege of your education, and your ability to use it to your advantage, as well as to create a better world.

I would not subscribe to this idea that a university degree is necessary to build a successful life in today’s world, or that a lack of it will doom you to failure and mediocrity. There are clear examples of those who have forged other paths toward a successful life without it. However, with the education you receive, you will have a real advantage to work with.

“Proceed with determination, compassion and cheerfulness in leveraging the capabilities and talents you pick up and refine amidst university life.”

There are potential paths for you to translate your education into something concrete. You can commit to gaining further expertise in the field you’re studying in, likely through further education after undergraduate days, and use to that to meaningfully contribute to society from there on. Or you could gain an idea for a social enterprise or small business that you pick up with your connections that will into something remarkable. Whatever it is, utilize the gifts and ideas God has placed within you.

Of course, don’t fall into the mindset that getting a university degree automatically makes you better than those who don’t have it. It is a tempting form of elitism that is inherently un-Christ like and very counterproductive. Instead, proceed with determination, compassion and cheerfulness in leveraging the capabilities and talents you pick up and refine amidst university life. Recognize how the Lord has blessed you with your university experience, and use it for His glory in all aspects!

Written by Gerald Koh, Marketplace Mentorship cohort of 2022