Always shoot your shot

An example for many of you guys is asking a girl out or telling someone you like them. However, that is solely up to the listener and how you interpret it. I'm not here to tell you why you should ask that girl in your math class out because you like her. I'm here to tell you about opportunities and chances.

Here at Stanstead College, there are a lot of ways to integrate yourself into its rich culture and mini society. You can choose to stay in your room or go outside and play a game of pick-up.
I want to tell you to take chances, risk embarrassment, awkward moments and try new things.

When deciding to come to Stanstead College, we all took a risk, leaving the comfort of our old friends, old schedule and comfortable house. However, with all that being said, are you going to go through all that just to say no to a weekend activity or a new sport and sit in your room instead? Take for example, last year: the senior boys rugby team went to Spain. Growing up, my brother travelled, but I preferred to stay in the comfort of my house without the stress of packing and traveling. However, I took the opportunity that was handed to me on a silver platter and can say it truly changed my life. If I could go back in time, I would have travelled more and taken the opportunities, even if that meant sacrificing my overall comfort.

If you take chances and decide to do something, it could turn out to be the best time of your life. Without going to Stanstead College, I wouldn’t have met a lot of my good friends.

So take chances, try something new. What's the worst that could happen, a little bit of embarrassment? Look at me… Im standing in front of the whole school giving a speech. Do you think I woke up one day and had the urge to do this? What I'm trying to say is open up and get out of your safe cocoon and take advantage of what you have at your fingertips.

There’s a difference between saying and doing. Most people talk about how they want to start working out, talk about how they want to make more friends, talk about being a more optimistic person, but not many people actually do it. One thing I learned at a very young age was say what you mean and mean what you say. It might seem self-evident in the sense that you shouldn’t commit to something without meaning it. However, if you have a passion you will want to do it and you will do it. The most inconceivable misconception is that the people who work the hardest are under the spotlights bathing in respect and attention. However, the true ones that work the hardest are the ones who barely talk and keep their head down.

Let me leave you with this. There's an old saying, you hang around the barbershop long enough, sooner or later you will get a haircut.