Jesús Lara Rivas, Grade 12
UWC-USA
Among all lessons from understanding, empathy, and shared-experiences, I had the opportunity to learn and explore the importance of international human antifragility. I couldn’t imagine before, that one of my best friends would be someone from the opposite side of the planet, someone whom I do not share either language nor cultural similarities with. I couldn’t imagine that some I might offend accidentally with some of my actions could also be my best friend. Although people at UWC has a million differents, the daily clumsy acts, faux pas, or even bad jokes are the rule. We are capable of a laugh and share our happiness even out of all hardships we have throughout our lives. This is the most amazing experience of UWC, get to know someone than different from you, that you became in best friends regardless of the ton of aspects could be an obstacle to do so.
I believe that this is a concept that is metaphorically speaking on the danger of extinction in the UWC community. I want to be able to share without being afraid if I’ll hurt someone, but also sure that everyone would respect and love me as a human regardless of my ideas. Isn’t it the nature of humans to be generous in assumptions? I always ask myself at UWC conversations. Humbly, I must point out that I am not complaining about UWC; instead, I am doing what I’ve been taught over the last year: Critical thinking about our reality. The issue of Antifragility at UWC is one of the most important things at UWC. Many people manifest the most positive behaviors towards their life and apply this amazing concept to the maximum extent in their experience. In my opinion, the kind of humans make the best, learn, and grow from their adventures instead of succumbing to perpetual safeness, which inhibits them from exploring, learning, and growing.
Seminar Discussions, Forums, and other activities we execute as a community is the best example of how UWC made me change. I was really direct, assertive, and passionate about what I believe in. Many people told me I was going to change those views, that I was going to became in another person more liberal, comprehensive, and smart. I discovered that that way of thinking, it’s a fallacy. Yes! I did change, I learned a lot; socially, and academically improvement on me as an individual is now an everyday manner. Nevertheless, I’m still the same person as when I arrived at UWC-USA. Although I was exposed to a different universe at UWC-USA, I decided to keep all values, principles, and knowledge about the the world I brought from a homeland I probably won’t be back soon: my beloved Venezuela. Lastly, I must recognize, I changed a lot about my feelings, ethics, and social empathy: Now, I feel more open… to say what I think is right, to defend the people I love, I look forward to fairness, and I’m always open to learn and experience the world more than ever on my life.
I think that due to the idea of perpetual safeness, the UWC community has been neglecting UWC-student’s antifragility. We claim to defenders of diversity and to seek for inclusivity for everyone. However, once we found someone disagreeing with us, we shame them; we do not hear anything this person has to say. I’ve been testifying how UWC becomes in a land of perpetual agreement, where contrary ideas to the consensus are not accepted. This is changing! I learned through all my time here that people are increasingly becoming conscious about this sociological phenomenon and are taking actions about it. I’ve seen mates taking a step forward towards real openness, where contrary believes, question others and other kinds of micro and macro-hardships are well received as a method of learning. Yes, we need disagreement to grow intellectually and socially as humans. That is another valuable lesson I leaned at UWC. Finally, I would like to quote Ruth J. Simmons, pres Brown University: “Learning is the Antithesis of Confort … the collisions of views and ideologies is the DNA of academic enterprise. We do not need collision avoidance technology here.”
I believe that this is a concept that is metaphorically speaking on the danger of extinction in the UWC community. I want to be able to share without being afraid if I’ll hurt someone, but also sure that everyone would respect and love me as a human regardless of my ideas. Isn’t it the nature of humans to be generous in assumptions? I always ask myself at UWC conversations. Humbly, I must point out that I am not complaining about UWC; instead, I am doing what I’ve been taught over the last year: Critical thinking about our reality. The issue of Antifragility at UWC is one of the most important things at UWC. Many people manifest the most positive behaviors towards their life and apply this amazing concept to the maximum extent in their experience. In my opinion, the kind of humans make the best, learn, and grow from their adventures instead of succumbing to perpetual safeness, which inhibits them from exploring, learning, and growing.
Seminar Discussions, Forums, and other activities we execute as a community is the best example of how UWC made me change. I was really direct, assertive, and passionate about what I believe in. Many people told me I was going to change those views, that I was going to became in another person more liberal, comprehensive, and smart. I discovered that that way of thinking, it’s a fallacy. Yes! I did change, I learned a lot; socially, and academically improvement on me as an individual is now an everyday manner. Nevertheless, I’m still the same person as when I arrived at UWC-USA. Although I was exposed to a different universe at UWC-USA, I decided to keep all values, principles, and knowledge about the the world I brought from a homeland I probably won’t be back soon: my beloved Venezuela. Lastly, I must recognize, I changed a lot about my feelings, ethics, and social empathy: Now, I feel more open… to say what I think is right, to defend the people I love, I look forward to fairness, and I’m always open to learn and experience the world more than ever on my life.
I think that due to the idea of perpetual safeness, the UWC community has been neglecting UWC-student’s antifragility. We claim to defenders of diversity and to seek for inclusivity for everyone. However, once we found someone disagreeing with us, we shame them; we do not hear anything this person has to say. I’ve been testifying how UWC becomes in a land of perpetual agreement, where contrary ideas to the consensus are not accepted. This is changing! I learned through all my time here that people are increasingly becoming conscious about this sociological phenomenon and are taking actions about it. I’ve seen mates taking a step forward towards real openness, where contrary believes, question others and other kinds of micro and macro-hardships are well received as a method of learning. Yes, we need disagreement to grow intellectually and socially as humans. That is another valuable lesson I leaned at UWC. Finally, I would like to quote Ruth J. Simmons, pres Brown University: “Learning is the Antithesis of Confort … the collisions of views and ideologies is the DNA of academic enterprise. We do not need collision avoidance technology here.”
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