Off-piste Skiing my Way Down College

Every fall line will make you better than before. You just need to trust yourself!

During my erratic years at Lenguas Vivas, I can assert that everyday you could find either a death cookie or soft groomed terrain. One day you can be cruising along, having the time of your life, only to lose control and crash. Sometimes, you catch an edge and eat it, or you’re standing right above a cornice, where your only choices are jumping or sliding down, all while trusting that you have the skills to make it through. It has happened to me more times than I can count. Moments that brought out insecurities, fears and frustrations. However, they ended up pushing my skills to the limit, made me face my fears and ultimately transformed me into a better version of myself. 

I had to trust myself to make it all the way down. If you think you don’t have everything you need, then you won’t have everything you need.    

When I entered Lenguas, I was terrified. Had I chosen the right track? Would my abilities be enough to make it till the end or would I end up breaking something? I could only find out by going through it. But I had, supposedly, chosen this for the rest of my life. Has any of you felt like you are not in the right place? I did at first.  I thought I was on the wrong track and didn’t know the terrain I was about to face down. I didn’t know what to do- I tried at first with the Translation Studies Programme, which was an icy run and didn't end up well. I got lost for a moment and didn’t have a map to guide myself out. I was terrified to catch an edge amidst the ice. I felt as if I was going straight up for a black diamond without having mastered the bunny slope first. 

I've always been a bit of a Jerry: much of the knowledge did not come naturally to me. All the extra training and slipping made me extremely stressed out. Then, Phonetics II became my fall line, the hardest and bumpiest course I've ever had to ride. I was petrified at first, but managed to slide through the obstacles I encountered with Phonetics. In the end, I got better than I had ever been and I definitely had what I needed. Everyone should know they have everything they need. If you wipe out at first, you can always get up and try again. If I catch air, then I'll be ready to fall in control. I slided through several courses with sharp and quick turns, and managed to dodge teachers that my fellow students advised me against.

The good stuff often requires a lot of patience, practice and painfully waiting in line (finals, photocopies, help from the secretaries, not to mention lyft lines). Some days can be hard, relentless and miserable, but that doesn’t mean you should let it shut you down. We all have our own timeline. I’ve hit some pretty deep slopes while feeling I was going too fast. When the track got bumpier than what I could handle, I simply got out and found a better ride down. Sometimes, there’s no need to go fast. You just need to be prepared for what’s coming next. Take it one run at a time.

Many times, when you believe you’re moving forward and learning how to deal with constant frustration, you find another fall line. But I’ve decided to take advantage of the challenges, become more sharp, controlled and precise. I might not be a champion, but I have fun, regardless of my insecurities, and I constantly try to make myself better. Sometimes, you will fly and you will fall. You’re floating on top of the world and think “This is the best day ever,” and it’s as good as a test that went really well or the news that you got the course with the teacher you wanted the most.

There’s a lot of zigzag, right and left, around obstacles. They're part of the run and what make it much more fun. The best way to learn how to do something, is to do it and fail. But it can be exciting as well, especially if you love what you’re doing. The world is open in front of you, teetering on the edge, all potential new terrain. Anything could happen and I am looking forward to seeing which will be my next highest peak.

Written by Olivia Hiba, a student at IES Lenguas Vivas “Juan Ramón Fernández”