Autumn K. Dube

I recently had a talk with one of my close friends here at college. It’s junior year and the pressure is on to excel in our classes while expectations surround future internships. Everyone wants to succeed and stand out, naturally. But when do we draw the line between success in school and overall fulfillment in our personal lives?

I believe the two go hand in hand. I’m all about balance – yes, I’m a Libra – so I make it a point to invest myself fully into school and personal relationships as well. Overwhelming at times? Of course. Some of my friends really struggle to differentiate between these two aspects of their college lives. We’re supposed to be making crazy memories but also setting ourselves up for our future, no pressure – right?

There’s a TED talk that asks the question “would you rather be known for your resume or your eulogy?” This means that focusing on our resume characteristics, as we all tend to do at this point in our lives, highlights our skill sets rather than who we genuinely are. Whereas focusing on eulogy traits digs deeper into who we are, emphasizing our hearts and true selves.

It’s a powerful question. Most people would probably agree they’d rather be known for their eulogy – the funny memories, love-able traits, and recognition of the good in them. But if we really think about it, this is a generation that truly focuses on building their resume, even if they have a memorable personality. It’s not a bad thing because success also brings a lot of good into our lives, but it’s important to recognize what traits you focus on.

I’m all about competition, so I love the competitive world that we live in but I love my sincere relationships and memories more. Don’t put too much pressure on your resume, trust that being authentic will get you where you’re supposed to be. Better yet, you’ll have some great people and memories to go along with your success if you don’t lose sight of who you are.

So ask yourself, resume or eulogy?

XOXO – Autumn