Wyverald

If I could start all over again, you know what I would do? I would skip Spanish class level 3.

If I had skipped it, I would not have had this *awesome* group of friends, or known the teacher that brought such liveliness to the classroom. I would not have met all these exchange students in Tsinghua, or spent crazy nights at random bars in Wudaokou or Sanlitun. I would not have started a personal campaign to go for linguistics, and learned so many wonderful things about languages.

If I had skipped it, I would not, hopefully, have somehow lost just about all the interest in what I was (and am) studying — computer science. I would not have opened up myself to a “new, unknown world”, or dreamed of traveling, acquainting, and conversing. I would have remained perfectly content trapped in the dorm, in front of my computer. I would have been laughed at more for being a nerd, but I probably wouldn’t have cared.

If I had skipped it, I would not, consequently, have been burdened with such struggle and doubt about myself. I would have probably remained active in the various technical organizations on campus, doing something useful for them, and for myself. I would have been eager to get a shot at working in IT, studying for a PhD, or whatever. I would not consider it a bleak career; instead, I would have been genuinely excited.

If only I had skipped it. Time would probably not be so torturing. The future would have seemed so much brighter. And life would have been so much simpler.

For the first time in my life, I seem to have deeply regretted.

And dreadful regret it is.