Which of these two goldfish do you see yourself as at this point in your life? Does it differ in different areas of your life? Which goldfish were you at earlier points in your life? Explain your answers.
Based on the picture I can see myself as the big goldfish that has the small glass bowl. After I got accepted into FEB UGM I felt very happy and proud about myself and feel that I was special because just a small number of my school friend went to college outside Surabaya and that is like a great achievement for me. But after going to the class of IUP, I began to see lots of smart and special talented student who I think will be more successful than me and it made me self-insecure about my talent and what I can do. Let me give you an example, so I was in the same Introduction accounting class with this student whom I will not state his/her name, he/she is very smart at doing what he/she does best, it really makes me not confident about the lesson in economics. So things like that makes me really sad I know I have a great talent and possible successful future but why can't I express my talents in FEB? I began to feel like a stupid person in here so that small glass bowl is my low self-esteem therefore it holds me to improve myself in FEB.
Greeting Isro, I really am so infuriated right after I have finished reading your comment. Well, don’t be that desperate in the new environment that must be stressful for all of us. You already have a kind of great confident due to your acceptance to the IUP FEB UGM, that is Great to have a kind of that self confident. We all know that the Earth is rotating and also both the balls and wheels, as same as the life that you are dealing with. After a kind of great feeling; we are going to face the other feelings that can mostly define as the pressuring or so called the bad ones. I think you need to be more focus on yourself, don’t be afraid of what the other people have or talented with. Everyone is born to be great, as long as they dream, believe and work for it. I believe it is going to be difficult for all of us to face these new things, especially for those who come from the outside of Jogjakarta. However, don’t let it destroy your self-confident. Keep being yourself and keep on trying to show your talents and other gifts. Don’t think that you are not as smart as the other, everyone has different learning style; I believe those who do you think are smarter than you fit with the lecturer’s learning style that make them easier to catch up the lesson. Rather than complaining, I believe the solutions are to adapt with the lecture’s learning style, keep up your self-confident, dream and do what you want! At last, don’t ever underestimate or even feel sorry of yourself! It is a kind of sin in many locals’ belief. I wish you can improve yourself and be what you want, Good Luck!
First, I do feel the same, I think there are a lot of people are smarter than me in FEB, and compare to them, I am just a tiny fish in a big bowl. But, it is kind of different with me, I always enjoy myself learning about something new, I never take it as a burden. I only think, If I can do well it is my luck because I can understand it easily, and if I cannot do it well, I will practice and ask more to the one that I think understand that materials. It is easy for me to understand the material, but it is kind of hard for me to have a mood of study and if I do not have a great mood in study I cannot understand anything. For Isro, I think you are really diligent person, and with your diligent personality you can beat the smart one, I always said that the smart one lose from the diligent on, and the diligent one always lose from the lucky one, it always help me to cheer myself on doing something because I do not want to be the lose one because there are so many goals in my live I should reach so I cannot give up easily. Never think that you cannot be as successful as the smart one, success is not depend on how smart you are, smart just a little material that can help you in future, but diligent is just the material also. It is all depends on YOURSELF, how you make friend, how you manage your time, how you do your work, and so on, so never think that you cannot be them, because you will never be. You have to be yourself because you cannot be someone else. And I think you have a special gift, you can draw and I cannot, I hope you can explore yourself in your talent at least if you cannot do it in FEB you can do it in University club, maybe it will help you to feel more confident and never feel afraid of asking and share think with us, I will try to help you if I can do it. Last, Liverpool football club have a really nice quote that may help you. It is “You Will Never Walk Alone” so means you still have your friends around you to support you. Cheer up, good luck, and God Bless!
First of all, thank you so much you for cheering up on me, I'm the kind of person who gets deppressed easilyand I tend to put down my motivation but I promise I'll try to improve myself in FEB especially my passion which is beyond economics so thanks again for letting me know that there's still someone who wants to help me and if you have any difficulties just don't hesitate to ask me okay. CHEERS!!
I'd like to think of myself being in that large glass bowl. I'm a person who thinks that the world is huge; that it practically has no boundaries. So when I say I have best friends, it is indeed a wonder because coincidences don't happen - it is fate that brings us together in this big, big world. When I wrote stories, I always used to picture my main character as this girl who goes around her world, trying to figure out who she is, and what it is she is destined to do. She gets lost easily, and often stumbles and fall. For years, I entertained myself with this idea. It is only a few months back that I realized I was mirroring myself as a person. That I was lost and had no idea to go. On the other hand, this feeling of being lost is sometimes wonderful. You had no idea where to go, so you sort of drift off, but then you land somewhere really nice and amazing and you couldn't be happier that you landed there. At other times, it gets a little daunting. This feeling can sometimes grow to a scary height where I wouldn't want to do anything except to just try to stay afloat. "After all," my conscience says. "You're only a tiny part of the world." I would say that I have been that small goldfish in that large glass bowl for all my life up until now. I can only hope as years pass that I would get bigger or the bowl smaller. I realize this comment would probably make no sense, but I love analogies.
After reflecting myself for a while, I think I’m also the small fish in the large bowl because I feel that I’m just a human who is seeking for greatness in a large world. The world itself has an unlimited resource of gratefulness so I think everyone (including me) could do a big new things in this world. For example based on my experience, when I enter the University of Gadjah Mada. University of Gadjah Mada is the one of the top university in Indonesia and the Faculty Economics and Business is one of the best faculty in UGM because the faculty already has an international accreditation. So I consider my university as the large bowl and I consider myself as the little fish. I consider myself as the little fish because when I enter this faculty I’m just an ordinary student who wants to learn new things and socialize with new friends. And also hoping that a little fish (me) can become a larger fish (after I graduated from this faculty).
I would say that i'm the small fish thats in the big glass bowl. Because at this point I am a part of something bigger. The small bowl would represent my school life, where my daily task was to study and get good grades. But the big bowl shows that at this point there are more to see, more to explore, that i'm just a small human in this big wide world. University is just a small step to prepare me for the world outside. I can't think around my comfort zone anymore. If I want to succeed in this wide ocean of life, I need to swim harder, faster, swifter, and bolder.
If I’m allowed to speak frankly, I would say that neither of these two goldfishes reflecting my life. Don’t you see that I have a big body and I don’t think my place is so small. So, I would say that if the big goldfish live in the big aquarium will reflect my life. Anyway, if choosing these two goldfishes is a must, I will choose the small goldfish in the big aquarium is reflecting my life now. Well, I don’t think I’m a big man in this new environment since I’m still a new freshman here. So, I don’t have the gal to get cocky to refer myself as a big fish. Since you’re asking me to compare the new environment and the last environment, I would say that it is different. I think my life before coming to the new environment can be considered as the big goldfish in a small aquarium, as I was a senior in my last environment. I’m sure most of people would say the same, as it’s all about senior and junior.
Before all of this, before UGM, I felt like a small fish in the big bowl. My friends from high school got invitations to attend the nations prestigious college like: UI, ITB, and UNDIP. And I’m still sitting there, thinking what the hell am I going to do with my life. Then the UGM IUP entrance exam result was posted, and my name is on it. Although it brings joy to me that I got accepted, I began to doubt myself “do I belong there?” “Can I even compete with the geniuses that got accepted?” “What in hell am I going to do? I’m a science major at high school. I cant do business.” but I got over it… the truth that I have learn is that everyone here is learning. Some has it bad, some don’t, but we all are learning. It will get hard, but we’ll survive, and strive.
The goldfish on the left reflects that in life, we have to be careful with our resources. We can’t be spendthrifts; we need to consider other needs later in the future. Because life today, as we know it, is all about the money and there has been no sign of anything in life that’s not money oriented and everything gets more expensive by the minute. Being earthy and living simple, knowing that enough is enough is the way to enjoy this life. We’re not all those people with unlimited resources. Our kind of resources might run out should we don’t handle it properly. The goldfish on the right side is the opposite. He or she has all the comfort in the world on his or her hands, he or she has excessive resources he or she needs, extravagant home, lavish outfits, expensive vehicles, etc. He might get used to this kind of lifestyle which pampers him excessively. But should the undeniable hits him, he might not be able to continue his life, because he lost all his comfort. He’s forced to get out of his comfort zone. In life, we need to know that too much can hurt so much, so be humble. Be extra careful in spending your resources.
At this point, the goldfish in the medium sized bowl suits me well. I used to be like the fish in the small bowl, but after I left the place where I was born and raised, I expanded my horizon and entered a "bigger" world. Especially after I moved to Indonesia my bowl has grown. My goal is to be a big fish in a big bowl, the bowl you can not even see on the picture. Or even better, somehow like a shark in the ocean. Free of all boundaries and capable of surviving and impressing. A hunter in deep, waiting for clueless victims to pass by and rip them up. A creature that can be found by following the track of blood and it enjoys the silent screams of its victims under water. Everybody runs and hides because this little and unimportant animals fear the power of the majestic and mighty beast which can end their worthless lives and... sorry what was the topic again?
I definitely see myself as the goldfish in the big aquarium. At this point of my life more than at other points before. I feel like the world is open for me, if I want to achieve something in some part of the world I can do that if I work for it. I have with my High-School education and my international orientation in my studies all requirements needed to get a good foundation and a good start in working and living in any country in the world. There are still so many places I did not see, so many cultures I do not know, so many experiences I still have to make. My aquarium is huge and I am very small. But I see that very positive. It is not a frightening situation, but a condition where I have so many opportunities which just have to be taken and be used if I want to. At this point of my life, the world feels very open to me. And huge.
Well, for myself. I think I am the small fish in the big aquarium. I am now living in a new environment; new friends and city and it made me feel small. I am not that smart, attractive, or capable like the others. But since I come here I know that I will have a new adventure. There are a lot of things that I haven’t understand, explore, and do yet. I really love adventures and it made me excited. But a lot of things happened to me and made my confidence started to fade away. Those things sometimes made me worried, because I don’t know if I can achieve it or even ended up didn’t do anything. The choices also worry me. I don’t know which on I should do first and what I should do after that. But I’m sure one day I will find a way to my problems and worries.
When I’m in the high-school, I feel like I am the goldfish in the small bowl. I have studied in the same school for about 15 years and I’m just circling around that environment. Now, I have accepted in FEB UGM which the environment Is really different from before, now I feel like I’m the fish in the big bowl. I’m still new in my new environment and that way I got to learn about it, experience many things and adapt to it quickly. My new friends in UGM are very smart, they always said that they did not even open the book to study but they always got a good score on every subjects even the most difficult one. From that, I learn that I have to work on myself and not depending on the other too much because here in UGM, most of us live alone and we try our best to get good grades in the class. There are still a lot of things that I need to learn, grades comparison is just a small thing in my new environment.
I can strongly relate to this picture. Back in high school, I think I was the big fish in small aquarium. I studied in private school that has elementary, junior high, and senior high school in the same area. I have studied there since I was a first grader in elementary until my last year of high school. School like that made me meet almost same people over and over. We barely have any new students. It was boring to see same faces over and over in twelve years. I was also the best student in my year back in high school. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed by pride and thought that I already reached the top while in fact I was just better than students from my school. I realized how wrong I was when I started my life in UGM. This university has so many students from all around Indonesia and they are all of amazing. I feel like the small fish in this university. Well, I guess this just means that I have a new objective to achieve.
I am a goldfish in a big bowl – because if I was in a small bowl it would make me look fat. No seriously, I feel like the world is so enormous with so many things and possibilities I’ve never even dreamed of. Sometimes I feel kind of lost, because it’s hard to tell my own position (and that’s not only because my sense of orientation is average at best). I remember how easy things were when I was small, because back then I only knew my closer surroundings and I was completely satisfied with that. Obviously, I was in a quite small bowl that entailed parents, friends, elementary school, and my favourite games or TV shows. I aim to become a bigger fish, so that I can feel comfortable in my bowl and not get lost as easily. But in order to do that I will need to explore my bowl a little more and maybe discover that I am not on my own in that bowl (sounds kind of creepy). And is there anyone outside that bowl watching me? This big eye that closes in to get a better view of what the fish is doing. I would also like some more decoration in my bowl, looks kind of plain so far.
In my earlier life, I felt like I used to live in a small world. I rarely socialized with others because I live in a place that I think it’s hard to socailized with others.When I was a child, I only socialized with my family member, and used to spend my time by playing playstation in my house, at that time, I felt just like a fish in a small glass bowl. However, my life was really changed when I was in the senior high school. I met many great people who taught me to become a better social person. I joined many school activities that changed my point of view about my life. There were many things to do and many things to join that I had to choose. It made me feels that my world is getting bigger and I’m now feeling like I’m a small fish in a big glass bowl.
At this point in my life I see myself as the goldfish in the big bowl. I feel like there are so many opportunities and I can do whatever I want with my life. Well, not everything is possible - I guess I will never become a famous physicist - but a lot of things are. After finishing my studies in International Marketing I could apply for a master program, I could travel the world or I could just get a job. It is very exciting for me that there are so many possibilities and so many things I still want to experience. As well, there are a lot of places I would like to visit in the future. I would love to go to South America or travel through the States. Maybe I will, who knows. The only thing that is certain for me right now is that I will go back to Germany soon. I am looking forward to it!
I think, I see myself as a fish in a big bowl. I agree with Kania Putri’s comment: “I'm a person who thinks that the world is huge; that it practically has no boundaries.” Yes, the world is huge. There are many places that I’ve never been before. There are a lot of things that I haven’t do and understand. Beside the reason above, another reason why the small fish in a big bowl suits me well is simply because I believe that at this point I am a part of something bigger. Well, even though I’m just a small part of something bigger it doesn’t mean that I don’t affect others. And actually big things often have small beginnings, right? However, I think that somehow I am the big fish in a small bowl. I feel like somehow I already got what I need in this life: family, friends, etc.
I used to think that I was a small fish in a big pond; I thought everyone at FEB would be brighter than me, since it was nominated as the best university in Indonesia. But as I grow older, I consider myself as a big fish in a small pond. Not that I’m being narcissistic, but that is what I feel now. I begin to notice that not every bright student in FEB will be bright outside his or her comfort zone. Some people are not meant to be a fighter; they easily give up and have low willingness to survive. As an example, I did a double degree program at Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) last year, the chance to survive is very low is you didn’t adept yourself into their studying behavior; it was significantly different with FEB. Some student may fail due to their low ability to survive and their willingness to fight, and some just think they are smart enough at FEB and are not trying to study more. As I compared myself to the one who was called ‘the brightest student in IUP accounting major’, she’s not as bright as what people said she was. It was just because she studied harder than anyone else. But the good thing is, she knows her ability and she knows when to study. The point is, you may not be the brightest student at FEB not because you don’t have the ability to do so, but it was just that there are not enough encouragements that FEB gave to their student. I believe that your environment and experiences will shape your personality & behavior, so choose your environment wisely. But, compared to the world, I am of course a small fish in a big pond.
I see myself as a goldfish in a big bowl, because now, I entering a new environment that I never thought that I will be here for long time! When I was in my school years, I saw myself as a goldfish in a tiny bowl, because I’ve been there about 13 years. You must know that my elementary, junior, and senior school is on the same road. How can I don’t feel like a goldfish in a tiny bowl, there is no challenge at all. And now, I’m here in Yogyakarta. New environment, new college life, new friend, and there are still a lot of things that I must explore here. Besides that, entering college life is like entering a new bigger world. Acquainted with new people from different city until different country, makes a new experience and new way to study about people. And also, it means that, if I can’t survive here, how can I survive in this world?
I see myself as a small fish in a big bowl because I assume that I’m just a small part of this huge, enigmatic world. The world, which I analogize it as a big bowl, is too gigantic for me to perceive its barriers. This makes me feel inferior and insecure at times. The world has too many possibilities and new adventures every single days, which are exiting and terrifying at the same time. Ironically by thinking about all those possibilities, whether they would benefit or harm me, suffocate me to the point where I can barely function. There were times when I just gave up to the world thinking it has its own plans so what differences could I make? But as I grew older, I realize tiny thing does matter. All I have to do is to give a shot at everything; try every new things I could find and hope for the best.
At this point in my life, I see myself as a small goldfish in a large bowl. Why? Because when I was on 3rd grade of high school, I hardly decided what major I’m going to take in university. A student has to choose one out of so many branches of science that they are willing to take. After moving to Yogyakarta, I realized that I have to survive in this huge world, like a small goldfish that tried to swim in a large bowl. When I was in Cirebon with my parents, I thought myself as an independent person. But when I came to Yogya and several problems popped out, I also realized that there are many things that I didn’t know and explore yet. In FEB, there are many talented students that somehow reduce my self-esteem at the first time we met. But then, I realized that all of us are on the same stage, learning. So if someone does well in certain materials, it becomes motivation for me to do better. That’s why my recent life is like a large bowl that I attempt to explore.
I felt like the fish in the small bowl: the world was so small when growing up. I constantly met same people, lived in the same area and did remarkably similar chores every day. I was squeezed by my own world and I had this constant feeling of “I-can’t-wait”. I couldn’t wait to finish junior high. I couldn’t wait to finish high school. And honestly, I can’t wait to finish college even though I’m merely in the 11th week. The “I-can’t-wait” thoughts come one after another and keep piling up like Jenga. By the time I finished reflecting I realized that I’m blinded with the whole “I-can’-wait” and I don’t ever bother to live for the moment. After I got the news of my acceptance in IUP, I felt relieved that I have a life to live. I moved to this city. Then the university orientation started and I participated; friends were made, experiences were had, languages were learned, food was tasted, and new horizons were seen. I was happy. I felt my bowl gets significantly bigger and the world had so much to offer. Then, college started. There were only 25 people in class and most are from the big cities. The thrill and the excitement fell apart. I saw my bigger bowl shattered and, right now, I’m back to square one.
A big fish in a small tank, or a small fish on a big tank. Hopefully I can be a big fish in this small tank. So, I can be recognized, people can depend on me, people can rely on me. I think that I have experience both situation. In my senior high school years, I have experienced the feeling of a small fish on a big tank. I am nobody and I am not planning to be somebody. And that’s the thing. After experiencing what I get on senior high school, I never wanted to become that small fish on a big tank again. I want to become somebody. It’s not necessarily becoming somebody to the whole world, no. I will start from small things. Because another thing I experienced in my life is that small steps matters a lot. So my first step is to become a reliable lover, then a reliable friend, and then a reliable guy in an organization. Then if it is possible, becoming the chairman of that organization. so I always hope to become a big fish in a small tank. So the opportunities always come to me because they recognize my capabilities.
At first, it is difficult for me to interpret the meaning of these two pictures. After thinking about this deeply, I assume that I am the small goldfish in the large bowl. I agree with everyone’s comment that this world is very huge. I am just a very small and tiny part of this big world. To make me look bigger, I should socialize, open my eyes to the world, and participate in any positive activities. The meaning of “to make me look bigger” is to influence other people in this big world with a positive thing. This world is full of possibilities and challenges. We or I especially, never know what happens in my next seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, or years. I have a hope and dream to achieve, but I know there are some people out there who have the same hope and dream like me. Even in the small environment of my life, I see myself as the small goldfish. Therefore, the thing is to try the best as much as we can, and let Allah decide which one is the best way for us and for others in this big world.
Living in a bubble is the exact expression to represent my previous live in senior high school where I know every single person there, where everything is so predictable and well... Easy and simple less complicated and it seem like there is not much space to move around and explore things which is fine with me. It is an absolute comfort zone really, sounds boring but it is undeniably comfortable. When everyone seem too eager to graduate from there looking forward to see the world unveiled I was just sitting there enjoying the last moments being in my bubble, and suddenly boom here I am continuing my study in the best business faculty in Indonesia with failed attempt to put my self together and balancing my university life. Losing friends, meeting new people, going to classes, learning new thing, developing the ability to sleep anywhere anytime in any position. Suddenly it feels like living in a slightly bigger bowl.
In this almost 19 years, I have lived in this small city and never migrate somewhere in such a long time. One over four of my classmates in elementary are from my former pre-school. After socialising with them for about 6 years, then I go to junior high school with one over eight of my former elementary classmates staying in the same section of the building with me. Hardly contended with my junior high school friends in the national exam, turns out that my senior high school friend also mostly from the junior high school. So in this case, I rather choose that I was a medium goldfish in a small goldfish tank. But then I do not try to catch my scholar degree in University of Indonesia or other which outside my future places to have a rest, Yogyakarta. With its merit, I choose UGM to be my big tank of various fish and other creatures. Then this stage of life will turn me to be a shark or just big goldfish.
Based on the picture I can see myself as the big goldfish that has the small glass bowl. After I got accepted into FEB UGM I felt very happy and proud about myself and feel that I was special because just a small number of my school friend went to college outside Surabaya and that is like a great achievement for me. But after going to the class of IUP, I began to see lots of smart and special talented student who I think will be more successful than me and it made me self-insecure about my talent and what I can do. Let me give you an example, so I was in the same Introduction accounting class with this student whom I will not state his/her name, he/she is very smart at doing what he/she does best, it really makes me not confident about the lesson in economics. So things like that makes me really sad I know I have a great talent and possible successful future but why can't I express my talents in FEB? I began to feel like a stupid person in here so that small glass bowl is my low self-esteem therefore it holds me to improve myself in FEB.
ReplyDeleteGreeting Isro, I really am so infuriated right after I have finished reading your comment. Well, don’t be that desperate in the new environment that must be stressful for all of us. You already have a kind of great confident due to your acceptance to the IUP FEB UGM, that is Great to have a kind of that self confident. We all know that the Earth is rotating and also both the balls and wheels, as same as the life that you are dealing with. After a kind of great feeling; we are going to face the other feelings that can mostly define as the pressuring or so called the bad ones. I think you need to be more focus on yourself, don’t be afraid of what the other people have or talented with. Everyone is born to be great, as long as they dream, believe and work for it. I believe it is going to be difficult for all of us to face these new things, especially for those who come from the outside of Jogjakarta. However, don’t let it destroy your self-confident. Keep being yourself and keep on trying to show your talents and other gifts. Don’t think that you are not as smart as the other, everyone has different learning style; I believe those who do you think are smarter than you fit with the lecturer’s learning style that make them easier to catch up the lesson. Rather than complaining, I believe the solutions are to adapt with the lecture’s learning style, keep up your self-confident, dream and do what you want! At last, don’t ever underestimate or even feel sorry of yourself! It is a kind of sin in many locals’ belief. I wish you can improve yourself and be what you want, Good Luck!
DeleteFirst, I do feel the same, I think there are a lot of people are smarter than me in FEB, and compare to them, I am just a tiny fish in a big bowl. But, it is kind of different with me, I always enjoy myself learning about something new, I never take it as a burden. I only think, If I can do well it is my luck because I can understand it easily, and if I cannot do it well, I will practice and ask more to the one that I think understand that materials. It is easy for me to understand the material, but it is kind of hard for me to have a mood of study and if I do not have a great mood in study I cannot understand anything.
DeleteFor Isro, I think you are really diligent person, and with your diligent personality you can beat the smart one, I always said that the smart one lose from the diligent on, and the diligent one always lose from the lucky one, it always help me to cheer myself on doing something because I do not want to be the lose one because there are so many goals in my live I should reach so I cannot give up easily. Never think that you cannot be as successful as the smart one, success is not depend on how smart you are, smart just a little material that can help you in future, but diligent is just the material also. It is all depends on YOURSELF, how you make friend, how you manage your time, how you do your work, and so on, so never think that you cannot be them, because you will never be. You have to be yourself because you cannot be someone else. And I think you have a special gift, you can draw and I cannot, I hope you can explore yourself in your talent at least if you cannot do it in FEB you can do it in University club, maybe it will help you to feel more confident and never feel afraid of asking and share think with us, I will try to help you if I can do it. Last, Liverpool football club have a really nice quote that may help you. It is “You Will Never Walk Alone” so means you still have your friends around you to support you. Cheer up, good luck, and God Bless!
First of all, thank you so much you for cheering up on me, I'm the kind of person who gets deppressed easilyand I tend to put down my motivation but I promise I'll try to improve myself in FEB especially my passion which is beyond economics so thanks again for letting me know that there's still someone who wants to help me and if you have any difficulties just don't hesitate to ask me okay.
DeleteCHEERS!!
I'd like to think of myself being in that large glass bowl.
ReplyDeleteI'm a person who thinks that the world is huge; that it practically has no boundaries. So when I say I have best friends, it is indeed a wonder because coincidences don't happen - it is fate that brings us together in this big, big world.
When I wrote stories, I always used to picture my main character as this girl who goes around her world, trying to figure out who she is, and what it is she is destined to do. She gets lost easily, and often stumbles and fall. For years, I entertained myself with this idea. It is only a few months back that I realized I was mirroring myself as a person. That I was lost and had no idea to go.
On the other hand, this feeling of being lost is sometimes wonderful. You had no idea where to go, so you sort of drift off, but then you land somewhere really nice and amazing and you couldn't be happier that you landed there.
At other times, it gets a little daunting. This feeling can sometimes grow to a scary height where I wouldn't want to do anything except to just try to stay afloat. "After all," my conscience says. "You're only a tiny part of the world."
I would say that I have been that small goldfish in that large glass bowl for all my life up until now. I can only hope as years pass that I would get bigger or the bowl smaller.
I realize this comment would probably make no sense, but I love analogies.
After reflecting myself for a while, I think I’m also the small fish in the large bowl because I feel that I’m just a human who is seeking for greatness in a large world. The world itself has an unlimited resource of gratefulness so I think everyone (including me) could do a big new things in this world. For example based on my experience, when I enter the University of Gadjah Mada. University of Gadjah Mada is the one of the top university in Indonesia and the Faculty Economics and Business is one of the best faculty in UGM because the faculty already has an international accreditation. So I consider my university as the large bowl and I consider myself as the little fish. I consider myself as the little fish because when I enter this faculty I’m just an ordinary student who wants to learn new things and socialize with new friends. And also hoping that a little fish (me) can become a larger fish (after I graduated from this faculty).
ReplyDeleteI would say that i'm the small fish thats in the big glass bowl. Because at this point I am a part of something bigger. The small bowl would represent my school life, where my daily task was to study and get good grades. But the big bowl shows that at this point there are more to see, more to explore, that i'm just a small human in this big wide world. University is just a small step to prepare me for the world outside. I can't think around my comfort zone anymore. If I want to succeed in this wide ocean of life, I need to swim harder, faster, swifter, and bolder.
ReplyDeleteIf I’m allowed to speak frankly, I would say that neither of these two goldfishes reflecting my life. Don’t you see that I have a big body and I don’t think my place is so small. So, I would say that if the big goldfish live in the big aquarium will reflect my life. Anyway, if choosing these two goldfishes is a must, I will choose the small goldfish in the big aquarium is reflecting my life now. Well, I don’t think I’m a big man in this new environment since I’m still a new freshman here. So, I don’t have the gal to get cocky to refer myself as a big fish. Since you’re asking me to compare the new environment and the last environment, I would say that it is different. I think my life before coming to the new environment can be considered as the big goldfish in a small aquarium, as I was a senior in my last environment. I’m sure most of people would say the same, as it’s all about senior and junior.
ReplyDeleteBefore all of this, before UGM, I felt like a small fish in the big bowl. My friends from high school got invitations to attend the nations prestigious college like: UI, ITB, and UNDIP. And I’m still sitting there, thinking what the hell am I going to do with my life. Then the UGM IUP entrance exam result was posted, and my name is on it. Although it brings joy to me that I got accepted, I began to doubt myself “do I belong there?” “Can I even compete with the geniuses that got accepted?” “What in hell am I going to do? I’m a science major at high school. I cant do business.” but I got over it… the truth that I have learn is that everyone here is learning. Some has it bad, some don’t, but we all are learning. It will get hard, but we’ll survive, and strive.
ReplyDeleteThe goldfish on the left reflects that in life, we have to be careful with our resources. We can’t be spendthrifts; we need to consider other needs later in the future. Because life today, as we know it, is all about the money and there has been no sign of anything in life that’s not money oriented and everything gets more expensive by the minute. Being earthy and living simple, knowing that enough is enough is the way to enjoy this life. We’re not all those people with unlimited resources. Our kind of resources might run out should we don’t handle it properly. The goldfish on the right side is the opposite. He or she has all the comfort in the world on his or her hands, he or she has excessive resources he or she needs, extravagant home, lavish outfits, expensive vehicles, etc. He might get used to this kind of lifestyle which pampers him excessively. But should the undeniable hits him, he might not be able to continue his life, because he lost all his comfort. He’s forced to get out of his comfort zone.
ReplyDeleteIn life, we need to know that too much can hurt so much, so be humble. Be extra careful in spending your resources.
At this point, the goldfish in the medium sized bowl suits me well. I used to be like the fish in the small bowl, but after I left the place where I was born and raised, I expanded my horizon and entered a "bigger" world. Especially after I moved to Indonesia my bowl has grown. My goal is to be a big fish in a big bowl, the bowl you can not even see on the picture. Or even better, somehow like a shark in the ocean. Free of all boundaries and capable of surviving and impressing. A hunter in deep, waiting for clueless victims to pass by and rip them up. A creature that can be found by following the track of blood and it enjoys the silent screams of its victims under water. Everybody runs and hides because this little and unimportant animals fear the power of the majestic and mighty beast which can end their worthless lives and... sorry what was the topic again?
ReplyDeleteI definitely see myself as the goldfish in the big aquarium. At this point of my life more than at other points before. I feel like the world is open for me, if I want to achieve something in some part of the world I can do that if I work for it. I have with my High-School education and my international orientation in my studies all requirements needed to get a good foundation and a good start in working and living in any country in the world. There are still so many places I did not see, so many cultures I do not know, so many experiences I still have to make. My aquarium is huge and I am very small. But I see that very positive. It is not a frightening situation, but a condition where I have so many opportunities which just have to be taken and be used if I want to. At this point of my life, the world feels very open to me. And huge.
ReplyDeleteWell, for myself. I think I am the small fish in the big aquarium. I am now living in a new environment; new friends and city and it made me feel small. I am not that smart, attractive, or capable like the others. But since I come here I know that I will have a new adventure. There are a lot of things that I haven’t understand, explore, and do yet. I really love adventures and it made me excited. But a lot of things happened to me and made my confidence started to fade away. Those things sometimes made me worried, because I don’t know if I can achieve it or even ended up didn’t do anything. The choices also worry me. I don’t know which on I should do first and what I should do after that. But I’m sure one day I will find a way to my problems and worries.
ReplyDeleteWhen I’m in the high-school, I feel like I am the goldfish in the small bowl. I have studied in the same school for about 15 years and I’m just circling around that environment. Now, I have accepted in FEB UGM which the environment Is really different from before, now I feel like I’m the fish in the big bowl. I’m still new in my new environment and that way I got to learn about it, experience many things and adapt to it quickly. My new friends in UGM are very smart, they always said that they did not even open the book to study but they always got a good score on every subjects even the most difficult one. From that, I learn that I have to work on myself and not depending on the other too much because here in UGM, most of us live alone and we try our best to get good grades in the class. There are still a lot of things that I need to learn, grades comparison is just a small thing in my new environment.
ReplyDeleteI can strongly relate to this picture. Back in high school, I think I was the big fish in small aquarium. I studied in private school that has elementary, junior high, and senior high school in the same area. I have studied there since I was a first grader in elementary until my last year of high school. School like that made me meet almost same people over and over. We barely have any new students. It was boring to see same faces over and over in twelve years. I was also the best student in my year back in high school. Needless to say, I was overwhelmed by pride and thought that I already reached the top while in fact I was just better than students from my school. I realized how wrong I was when I started my life in UGM. This university has so many students from all around Indonesia and they are all of amazing. I feel like the small fish in this university. Well, I guess this just means that I have a new objective to achieve.
ReplyDeleteI am a goldfish in a big bowl – because if I was in a small bowl it would make me look fat. No seriously, I feel like the world is so enormous with so many things and possibilities I’ve never even dreamed of. Sometimes I feel kind of lost, because it’s hard to tell my own position (and that’s not only because my sense of orientation is average at best). I remember how easy things were when I was small, because back then I only knew my closer surroundings and I was completely satisfied with that. Obviously, I was in a quite small bowl that entailed parents, friends, elementary school, and my favourite games or TV shows. I aim to become a bigger fish, so that I can feel comfortable in my bowl and not get lost as easily. But in order to do that I will need to explore my bowl a little more and maybe discover that I am not on my own in that bowl (sounds kind of creepy). And is there anyone outside that bowl watching me? This big eye that closes in to get a better view of what the fish is doing. I would also like some more decoration in my bowl, looks kind of plain so far.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching you...
DeleteI'm in your house...
DeleteIn my earlier life, I felt like I used to live in a small world. I rarely socialized with others because I live in a place that I think it’s hard to socailized with others.When I was a child, I only socialized with my family member, and used to spend my time by playing playstation in my house, at that time, I felt just like a fish in a small glass bowl. However, my life was really changed when I was in the senior high school. I met many great people who taught me to become a better social person. I joined many school activities that changed my point of view about my life. There were many things to do and many things to join that I had to choose. It made me feels that my world is getting bigger and I’m now feeling like I’m a small fish in a big glass bowl.
ReplyDeleteAt this point in my life I see myself as the goldfish in the big bowl. I feel like there are so many opportunities and I can do whatever I want with my life. Well, not everything is possible - I guess I will never become a famous physicist - but a lot of things are. After finishing my studies in International Marketing I could apply for a master program, I could travel the world or I could just get a job. It is very exciting for me that there are so many possibilities and so many things I still want to experience. As well, there are a lot of places I would like to visit in the future. I would love to go to South America or travel through the States. Maybe I will, who knows. The only thing that is certain for me right now is that I will go back to Germany soon. I am looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteI think, I see myself as a fish in a big bowl. I agree with Kania Putri’s comment: “I'm a person who thinks that the world is huge; that it practically has no boundaries.” Yes, the world is huge. There are many places that I’ve never been before. There are a lot of things that I haven’t do and understand.
ReplyDeleteBeside the reason above, another reason why the small fish in a big bowl suits me well is simply because I believe that at this point I am a part of something bigger. Well, even though I’m just a small part of something bigger it doesn’t mean that I don’t affect others. And actually big things often have small beginnings, right? However, I think that somehow I am the big fish in a small bowl. I feel like somehow I already got what I need in this life: family, friends, etc.
I used to think that I was a small fish in a big pond; I thought everyone at FEB would be brighter than me, since it was nominated as the best university in Indonesia. But as I grow older, I consider myself as a big fish in a small pond. Not that I’m being narcissistic, but that is what I feel now. I begin to notice that not every bright student in FEB will be bright outside his or her comfort zone. Some people are not meant to be a fighter; they easily give up and have low willingness to survive. As an example, I did a double degree program at Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) last year, the chance to survive is very low is you didn’t adept yourself into their studying behavior; it was significantly different with FEB. Some student may fail due to their low ability to survive and their willingness to fight, and some just think they are smart enough at FEB and are not trying to study more. As I compared myself to the one who was called ‘the brightest student in IUP accounting major’, she’s not as bright as what people said she was. It was just because she studied harder than anyone else. But the good thing is, she knows her ability and she knows when to study. The point is, you may not be the brightest student at FEB not because you don’t have the ability to do so, but it was just that there are not enough encouragements that FEB gave to their student. I believe that your environment and experiences will shape your personality & behavior, so choose your environment wisely. But, compared to the world, I am of course a small fish in a big pond.
ReplyDeleteI see myself as a goldfish in a big bowl, because now, I entering a new environment that I never thought that I will be here for long time! When I was in my school years, I saw myself as a goldfish in a tiny bowl, because I’ve been there about 13 years. You must know that my elementary, junior, and senior school is on the same road. How can I don’t feel like a goldfish in a tiny bowl, there is no challenge at all. And now, I’m here in Yogyakarta. New environment, new college life, new friend, and there are still a lot of things that I must explore here. Besides that, entering college life is like entering a new bigger world. Acquainted with new people from different city until different country, makes a new experience and new way to study about people. And also, it means that, if I can’t survive here, how can I survive in this world?
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to understanding the world and all the weird events happening in it, I might as well be a lowly goldfish as I fell as though I haven’t even scratched the surface of what the world has in store. I have found myself asking a fair number of questions lately, some of them rather cliché for instance “where is my place in this world”, whilst others are harder to dismiss as just another teenage hormone induced flash of befuddlement. I have even started to question my beliefs in religion, and how my faith has slowly dwindled away as the days and years go by. Akin to a goldfish that just got its eyes gouged out, I blindly negotiate the sea of life fruitlessly seeking the frail hope of epiphany. One has to possess a clear rational head in tandem with wide open eyes, lest this sea swallow you whole as it has so many others. But the more I dig for answers, the deeper the hole I found myself in.
ReplyDeleteI see myself as a small fish in a big bowl because I assume that I’m just a small part of this huge, enigmatic world. The world, which I analogize it as a big bowl, is too gigantic for me to perceive its barriers. This makes me feel inferior and insecure at times. The world has too many possibilities and new adventures every single days, which are exiting and terrifying at the same time. Ironically by thinking about all those possibilities, whether they would benefit or harm me, suffocate me to the point where I can barely function. There were times when I just gave up to the world thinking it has its own plans so what differences could I make? But as I grew older, I realize tiny thing does matter. All I have to do is to give a shot at everything; try every new things I could find and hope for the best.
ReplyDeleteAt this point in my life, I see myself as a small goldfish in a large bowl. Why? Because when I was on 3rd grade of high school, I hardly decided what major I’m going to take in university. A student has to choose one out of so many branches of science that they are willing to take. After moving to Yogyakarta, I realized that I have to survive in this huge world, like a small goldfish that tried to swim in a large bowl. When I was in Cirebon with my parents, I thought myself as an independent person. But when I came to Yogya and several problems popped out, I also realized that there are many things that I didn’t know and explore yet. In FEB, there are many talented students that somehow reduce my self-esteem at the first time we met. But then, I realized that all of us are on the same stage, learning. So if someone does well in certain materials, it becomes motivation for me to do better. That’s why my recent life is like a large bowl that I attempt to explore.
ReplyDeleteI felt like the fish in the small bowl: the world was so small when growing up. I constantly met same people, lived in the same area and did remarkably similar chores every day. I was squeezed by my own world and I had this constant feeling of “I-can’t-wait”. I couldn’t wait to finish junior high. I couldn’t wait to finish high school. And honestly, I can’t wait to finish college even though I’m merely in the 11th week. The “I-can’t-wait” thoughts come one after another and keep piling up like Jenga. By the time I finished reflecting I realized that I’m blinded with the whole “I-can’-wait” and I don’t ever bother to live for the moment. After I got the news of my acceptance in IUP, I felt relieved that I have a life to live. I moved to this city. Then the university orientation started and I participated; friends were made, experiences were had, languages were learned, food was tasted, and new horizons were seen. I was happy. I felt my bowl gets significantly bigger and the world had so much to offer. Then, college started. There were only 25 people in class and most are from the big cities. The thrill and the excitement fell apart. I saw my bigger bowl shattered and, right now, I’m back to square one.
ReplyDeleteA big fish in a small tank, or a small fish on a big tank. Hopefully I can be a big fish in this small tank. So, I can be recognized, people can depend on me, people can rely on me. I think that I have experience both situation. In my senior high school years, I have experienced the feeling of a small fish on a big tank. I am nobody and I am not planning to be somebody. And that’s the thing. After experiencing what I get on senior high school, I never wanted to become that small fish on a big tank again. I want to become somebody. It’s not necessarily becoming somebody to the whole world, no. I will start from small things. Because another thing I experienced in my life is that small steps matters a lot. So my first step is to become a reliable lover, then a reliable friend, and then a reliable guy in an organization. Then if it is possible, becoming the chairman of that organization. so I always hope to become a big fish in a small tank. So the opportunities always come to me because they recognize my capabilities.
ReplyDeleteAt first, it is difficult for me to interpret the meaning of these two pictures. After thinking about this deeply, I assume that I am the small goldfish in the large bowl. I agree with everyone’s comment that this world is very huge. I am just a very small and tiny part of this big world. To make me look bigger, I should socialize, open my eyes to the world, and participate in any positive activities. The meaning of “to make me look bigger” is to influence other people in this big world with a positive thing. This world is full of possibilities and challenges. We or I especially, never know what happens in my next seconds, minutes, hours, days, months, or years. I have a hope and dream to achieve, but I know there are some people out there who have the same hope and dream like me. Even in the small environment of my life, I see myself as the small goldfish. Therefore, the thing is to try the best as much as we can, and let Allah decide which one is the best way for us and for others in this big world.
ReplyDeleteLiving in a bubble is the exact expression to represent my previous live in senior high school where I know every single person there, where everything is so predictable and well... Easy and simple less complicated and it seem like there is not much space to move around and explore things which is fine with me. It is an absolute comfort zone really, sounds boring but it is undeniably comfortable. When everyone seem too eager to graduate from there looking forward to see the world unveiled I was just sitting there enjoying the last moments being in my bubble, and suddenly boom here I am continuing my study in the best business faculty in Indonesia with failed attempt to put my self together and balancing my university life. Losing friends, meeting new people, going to classes, learning new thing, developing the ability to sleep anywhere anytime in any position. Suddenly it feels like living in a slightly bigger bowl.
ReplyDeleteIn this almost 19 years, I have lived in this small city and never migrate somewhere in such a long time. One over four of my classmates in elementary are from my former pre-school. After socialising with them for about 6 years, then I go to junior high school with one over eight of my former elementary classmates staying in the same section of the building with me. Hardly contended with my junior high school friends in the national exam, turns out that my senior high school friend also mostly from the junior high school. So in this case, I rather choose that I was a medium goldfish in a small goldfish tank. But then I do not try to catch my scholar degree in University of Indonesia or other which outside my future places to have a rest, Yogyakarta. With its merit, I choose UGM to be my big tank of various fish and other creatures. Then this stage of life will turn me to be a shark or just big goldfish.
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