Don’t sweat the small stuff

Stay in school as long as you can!

Seriously, if Billy Madison said it, it must be true. But, I guess he also said that pissing your pants is cool. So, maybe I’m torn—somewhere between pissing my pants and becoming a scholar.

I want to enjoy school as much as possible because I know that my years at Queen’s are going to be the best in my life. I need to enjoy every moment of university and stop stressing over the small things. And by small things, I mean “academics”—they’re over-rated.

Am I going to remember how to do double integration when I’m 40? I really hope not. It’s not important to me in the grand scheme of my life.

For that reason I think students should relax more. Academics are important, granted, but they’re not everything.

I’m in no rush to get out of school. But once I do, I want to be my own boss. I don’t want to take orders from anyone or toil away at an office computer in a supposedly “posturepedic” desk chair worrying about my ergonomic welfare. I want to wake up every morning and do what I’m passionate about: trading stocks.

You’re probably thinking I’m dreaming of never-never land. Sometimes I feel the same way. But I’m passionate about trading stocks. I love watching Mad Money on CNBC and researching companies every day. I know what you’re thinking—and the answer is no, it’s not about the money. It’s about the risk and speculation. It’s awesome.

I recommend reading the New York Times best seller 4-Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferriss, or check out Tim’s website 4hourworkweek.com. Tim is a 29-year-old multi-millionaire who spends a meager four hours a week working.

He’s an inspiration to me. He spends most of his time traveling the world while his solely owned and outsourced business pays his bills.

Tim’s book is refreshing because he explains how to manage time effectively. Most importantly, he says you should spend your life doing what you’re passionate about. He cites his passions as travelling and learning about the world.

Maybe you don’t want to be self-employed or trade stocks. Maybe you want to be part of a political party in Canada or work in health care. It doesn’t matter. If you’re passionate about it then you should do it.

So, if I can sway you in any way I hope it’s to realize that your years in school are the best in your life and you should avoid stressing over the ‘small things.’ Have fun and relax because everything will fall into place if you figure out what you’re passionate about.

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