Lessons in everything life and Leam: fake it until you make it

‘It’s the early bird that catches the worm’, ‘strike whilst the iron’s hot’, ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’. These sayings and idioms, cliché though they may be, do ring true. Supposedly, the sooner we all adopt habits aligned with the sentiments of these sayings, the easier the rest of our lives will become. Doors will open for us if we follow these recipes for success, and the opportunities will be endless, or so they say.

As students, it is as if we are playing at being adults where how we act matters, and the consequences are serious

It seems we all have several years before any of this life advice will apply, and in reality, we do. However, there is something fun about implementing the practices suggested by these idioms, unconventionally and frivolously, into our day-to-day lives in and around Leamington Spa. As students, is as if we are playing at being adults where how we act matters, and the consequences are serious. University gives us all the opportunities in the world, and we are fortunate enough to be allowed the freedom to make the mistakes that will ultimately shape the people we become. So, I recommend using this time as a student to test how to integrate these practices into your routine seamlessly.

It’s the early bird who catches the worm
Initially, this saying seems fairly straightforward, surface level, and, in fact, quite unrevolutionary. In short, it’s saying to get up early and make the most of the day. However, upon closer inspection, it becomes obvious that it can manifest in various exciting ways. My friends and I took the opening of GAIL’s bakery to act in such a manner and seize the day. Having counted down the days to its grand opening, we were there bright and early, just like the bird would be, on January 22 2025. Lo and behold, much to the dismay of these early birds, the flagship of gentrification was shut for another 24 hours. Whilst this was gutting news, we were rewarded for our eagerness in the form of a voucher for either a free coffee or loaf of bread. So, as shown by our eagerness, there is some merit to the idea that the early bird catches the worm.

Clearly, faking it until you make it works, and we might as well all get some practice in now

Strike whilst the iron’s hot
To cultivate a more holistic third year, we took off to Stratford-upon-Avon to watch Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. To the first-year version of ourselves, spending a Saturday in such a wholesome way would be unfathomable and yet here we are. Alas, unable to fully shake the (accurate) characterisation of chaos and disorganisation from Twelfth Night, one friend made the entire trek to Stratford only to find that she hadn’t bought a ticket. Ever the optimist, she did not let this derail her day trip in any way, shape, or form. While some might have mooched around, window shopped, stopped for a bite of lunch, or even worked in a café, she instead entertained herself in the most outlandish, extravagant, and lavish way possible: breezing into fine jewellery establishments. With a formidable aura, she managed to try on watches worth more than £70,000 all whilst sipping on her free-flowing complimentary champagne. Clearly, faking it until you make it works, and we might as well all get some practice in now. Especially if the perks are free champagne.

It’s not what you know, it’s who you know
This may seem superficial, strategic, and conniving to many, but this may be the case in many situations. However, at times, it is merely a matter of being in the right place at the right time or encountering someone genuinely remarkable before their potential is realised. It might be a bit of a stretch for my next anecdote to fit within the parameters of this saying, but I will try to make it.

With our whole lives ahead of us, now is the perfect time to experiment and cultivate the person we want to be for the rest of our lives

Following on with the same theme as the previous story, last weekend, we took ourselves down to the Cotswolds. For some, this might conjure images of extreme treks in the countryside, a chilly cold-water dip. or even a delicious pub roast. For us, this trip consisted of one destination only: Daylesford Farm shop. This was an oasis. A haven of deliciousness. It is the most over-the-top shop known to man. The car park was dominated by Range Rovers and incongruous with the countryside sports cars. The clientele inside were immaculately presented. Already blown away by the sheer indulgence of Daylesford, our appetites were satiated with the decadent tea and cake we’d had. We thought it couldn’t get any better, but it did, Peter Jones (Dragon’s Den Peter Jones) appeared from around the corner. Although we don’t know Peter Jones, and it does not fit with the ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ proverb, we have learned that luck is real. Being in the right place at the right time does happen in reality.

So, cliché sayings shape how we live now. It is the only metric to determine how or how not to act. With our whole lives ahead of us, now is the perfect time to experiment and cultivate the person we want to be for the rest of our lives. ‘Strike whilst the iron’s hot’, ‘it’s the early bird who catches the worm’, and ‘it’s not what you know, it’s who you know’ are all key components to allow us all to fake it until we do eventually make it.