Zen College Life

People at the college and university levels are hopeful. We are dreamers, thinkers, and doers. We don’t just believe everything we hear, we don’t just accept everything we are given, we think, question, learn, conclude, act, and react to everything around us. Nothing is yet at it’s best, and we are the generation that believes we can change it. We can make it better.

The beauty of our thoughts and beliefs is that we can use them as motivation to pursue our own agendas. And with so many of us having similar beliefs, it is easy to make a difference using the help of our friends and collegues to work together and achieve a common goal.

All of this starts with impression and expression. We start with a problem or belief. Something affects us by leaving an impression, something starts the ball rolling on a reaction. Often times the ball rolls to a slow and then stops. But every once in a while, by choosing to express ourselves, we allow that reaction to continue, and sometimes we even see it through to the end. I’m going to talk a bit about expressing ourselves in a way that moves that ball like a steamroller.

Expression can be defined in so many ways that I couldn’t even begin to scratch the surface. But to simplify the meaning so that we are all on the same page, I’m going to define expression as “an internal feeling made external through any means which could be interpreted by others.” I think that is broad enough to work with.

The difference between expressing yourself and not is the difference between being someone and being nobody. Many people live their lives and die without anyone ever knowing them, and afterwords their lives, their legacies are gone. But a few great men and women have worked hard with their expressions and have left the world a better place, their legacies left to be held onto and studied by the next group of great men and women.

Expression can be a any of a billion different things. Let’s use the example of choosing to ‘live green.’ One could live green by using less energy and leaving a smaller carbon footprint, but in the end that is a small change. I don’t mean that you shouldn’t make that change, but through expression you could do so much more. Take, for instance, the one who creates a blog. As small a change as this one person makes, by expressing their opinions, beliefs, and ideas to others the could potentially change how the entire world looks at conservation of Earth. Look at the activist musician. Her lyrics are voiced everywhere there is a radio, everyone hears and even sings of the changes we could make. Even if she never made any changes herself, her words would resonate in the minds of her listeners, and her inspiration would be felt across the world.

None can deny that to act on your beliefs is one of the greatest things you could do, in the means of making a difference. But among college students we need to see more expression of beliefs. How can the world know you want peace if you do nothing to express it? How can we believe you love earth if you never speak out about conservation? To really change the world, you have to not only act, but express yourself, by any means necessary. Choose an art, a voice, a medium, and express your beliefs to the world. Mind not if anyone is listening. Put your thoughts into the universe and act on them. Your beliefs will catch on, and the world will be better for having you.

Here’s a list (for those of you lacking creativity) of ways you can express yourself:

Write

Write a letter to someone of authority
Publish your thoughts on a blog
Write poetry and essays
Write a Book

Art

Draw
Paint
Sculpt
Create
Take a picture

Music

Play an instrument
Sing
Make Noise
Be Heard

Video

Film
Make a Movie

There are so many other ways of expressing yourself. I express myself through speech (talking to my friends and family about what is important to me), blogging (here at Zen College Life dot com), music (playing the guitar), fitness (working out and eating properly), religion (prayer and concious thought), and so many other ways of expression. What do you do to express yourself? What do you find is effective? Leave a comment, We’d love to know.