The beginning of my college days was very tough for me. Since I was from a lower-class family and there was no job available, survival in the city along with studies was a huge challenge. Paying bills for studying in a private campus and making a living simultaneously made me worry enormously. Days, weeks and months went by. In the course of time, gradual improvement appeared in my condition. It gave me a sigh of relief to some extent. Now, the situation is not so bad like in those days. However, I often get nostalgic. Yes, those difficult days gave me a great lesson — patience and perseverance are vital to lead life under any difficult situation. This has energised me to move on in life facing the unseen challenges ahead as they come.

— Anjan Gurung, Pokhara

I agree with the statement “most experiences in our lives were difficulties at that time become valuable lessons later on”. To illustrate, look at examples from world’s history. Abraham Lincoln, former president of the US, had faced many difficulties in his life before he was elected as a president. He had lost many regional elections, but he never gave up and struggled through. Finally, he participated in the presidential election strengthened by the efforts he had made earlier, which enabled him to win the election. Of course, difficulties can be extremely valuable and strengthening only if we try to understand and utilise the difficulties instead of just escaping or complaining.

— Sujan Gautam, Anamnagar, Kathmandu

Yes, I remember a difficult time but it turned out to be a very valuable lesson. Not only me, we all have heard the proverb ‘practice makes a man perfect’. Once my teacher had told me doing homework is also a kind of practice and the habit of doing homework daily will help a lot in future. I used to do homework daily but I used to leave those homework in which I had to use my brain little more. But realising the importance of using my brain more would help me in life I started to complete all my work. One day our maths teacher took surprise test and all the students were panicking, including me. However, as we got the questions, I was surprised because I remembered how to answer all the questions because I had solved them at home. I was really happy when I got full marks. I learnt that we must not depend on others, in this situation, the teachers. We must try it ourselves and believe me it will pay you back in the future.

— Ashmita Bhandari

During my school days my guardians were very watchful on me, particularly on my expenditure. I had to submit the report of my daily expenses to them in written form if I wanted to get a new budget. This kind of tight surveillance used to baffle and upset me at times. However, my sense of discipline did not let me go out of order and I followed their instructions, though unwillingly. Today, when I see children being spoilt by excessive unch-ecked pocket money provided to them by their parents, I realise that my guardians were right who took so much trouble to make me a sensible person by providing proper guidance right from my childhood.

— Ambika Pandey,

Chitwan

With the operation of cable car, Manakamana has become accessible to all.

But the enjoyment I got while trekking to reach the temple was different altogether,

although tiring. When I compare my Manakamana visit, I find the trek one more pleasing and adventurous. This has taught me a lesson that success we acquire through hard labour is more satisfying than which comes through the shortcut, easy way.

— Eklaxmi Nepal

I totally agree that ‘tough time never lasts but tough people do’. Difficult times never last forever but teach us some great lessons. These kinds of experiences may shake us from our roots but for a certain time only. The tempest only makes us realise our strengths and weaknesses. For me it was the time when I relocated myself from the caring boundaries of my parents to lead a tough life in hostel. The hostel was not like today’s hostel full of luxury, but it was based on Mahatma Gandhi principle of ‘simple living, high thinking’. I had to adjust with students from different places, culture, religion, languages et cetera. I had to do all my work, no facility of keeping any maid. And the great change I had to bring was in becoming a pure vegetarian as Gandhiji always believed in non-violence. My life style went through some drastic changes. Till the last day of my college life I could not adjust myself perfectly.

But now I see myself as a strong, self sufficient, independent, adjustable individual and can also control my emotions as I used to do when felt home sick in hostel. So lastly I would say ‘more the gold is heated more it shines’.

— Roopsi

I do believe that sometimes the worst experiences become the most valuable lessons in our lives. When I was in school I used to be treated very badly, I felt like a prisoner. It was not just me even my classmates too. But later I found out that all those harsh and heart piercing words were for my own good, which has been really helpful for me today. And I really thank my teachers for that.

— Sandeep Mukhia

I have had one really bad experience in my life. I was never serious about my studies and used to often lose control in the classroom. And when the exam results came out I always got poor marks. This led me to read books and later on I got so interested in literature, I just loved reading big and bulky books written by people like Devkota and Shakespeare. This even helped me understand my life better and I felt like I received a lot of education and knowledge from these books.

— Bivek Dhakal

When I was in grade five, I tried to be break my friendship with my close friend for some reasons. I used to be indifferent to her. After a few months, I felt alone and guilty, as I

was responsible for breaking up the friendship. During that gap I had nobody

to share my feelings with. Finally, I decided to start the friendship again and went to speak to her. Through this experience I learnt that friends are indispensable in life.

— Rebati Adhikary, Nepaltar

Bad experiences and mistakes makes us suffer but they pave the way for a better future. What experiences we have today, difficult or easy, will definitely have some effect on our tomorrow. Being students, we don’t like to attend classes but during the examinations it is what we learnt is class that becomes really valuable. The advice given by our elders may taste bitter at the beginning, but later on we come to understand how precious it was. When a woman is pregnant there are many restrictions she has to face making her life difficult, but when her child is in her lap, she feels it was worth all the pain she went through. Similarly, while learning swimming or music, we find it difficult following all the instructions. However, when we master it we are happy.

— Dilip Dachhepati, Pulchowk Campus

‘Life is not a bed of roses’ and the struggles we go through to achieve our goals is the most remarkable time no matter what the result. Sometimes bad experiences teach us a lot. I too have faced such situations. Once, me and my friend had an unplanned bike-trip. On our way, at crossroads a flock of goats suddenly appeared and I was unable to notice it and I held the breaks. We both fell down, our pants were torn, and we had marks all over our legs and hands. We returned home and entered our rooms silently. Later my mum came with a first aid box and left without even looking at my face. But she later came to ask me how I was doing. From that experience realised my mom loves me a lot and I shouldn’t do anything to hurt her.

— Bipin Bhattarai

I am quite a lazy person and seldom do housework. But, when I went to my brother’s village, I had to go through really tough times. I had to ride on bicycle for three hours to reach my relative’s place. I had to go to the forest to get fodder for cattle. I couldn’t watch TV like I did at my place. I also had to do a lot of farm work. I could not bear so much work and I got sick. Though it was a difficult time I learnt a lot, it taught me that laziness is a hidden demon which I should overcome.

— Bibhor, Nepalgunj

When I was in grade eight I didn’t secure desired marks in my first term examination. So, I planned to increase my marks my deliberately changing some of the scores given by the teacher in the answer sheet, and then complaining to the class teacher about the miscalculation. The plan was about to work, but the changes I had make caught my teacher’s eye. When I was cross-questioned about it my mistake came forward. From then onwards, I always remember not to do such activities again.

— Roshan Adhikari, Dhapasi

We learn many things from the difficulties we face. When I was doing my certificate level I had a lot of tension as I had also joined computer classes, and was also working. That was the most difficult time for me and I wished to get out of such a life. I was so tired that sometimes I wished I would just disappear. But today I am very happy for myself as I learnt many valuable lessons because of the difficulties I faced. So I think we learn from such situations and we should apply it later, it will certainly help one in the future.

— Deena Shrestha,

Dillibazar Kanya College

Around four years ago my friend had to go through a very difficult situation, it was a nightmare for him when he could do nothing, but just have a glance at his parents

who expired in a bus accident. It was a very critical situation for him to handle. Fortunately,

with his great determination, he handled it really well. It taught me how to cope with a difficult situation, and be both physically and mentally fit at such times as well.

— Biplov Bhandari,

Old Baneswor