Tip #5 Bravery

I’m posting one takeaway each day this week from my first semester at uni. What actually helped, what surprised me, and what I’d tell someone starting fresh. Let me know if any of it hits home!

You don’t have to feel brave to be brave.
This semester, I did a lot of things that scared me:
- I went to high-stakes teaching meetings, often as the only student in there
- I applied for the New Colombo Plan, one of Australia’s most competitive scholarships
- I showed up to events, introduced myself, raised my hand
- Put my hand up for opportunities that made me nervous

None of that felt natural. I’m a homebody. I like structure and predictability.
But this semester I was constantly in social environments. That meant navigating overstimulation, anxiety, and fatigue behind the scenes.
So no, I didn’t always feel brave.
But I was brave.
Bravery isn’t about being fearless.
It’s not always about grand gestures.
Sometimes it’s showing up anyway.

Sometimes it’s trying something, then reflecting later:
“That wasn’t so bad.”
Or even, “That was bad, but now I know.”

If you’re doing things that scare you, applying, showing up, asking, committing - that’s brave.
And it deserves credit.
Give yourself that credit.
You’ve probably done more than you think.