Life Lessons from my Betta Fish

About a year ago, I brought home a Betta fish, and (creatively) named him Nugget. The picture you see above is from when I first got him in March, and he was happily swimming around the bowl. A little while after, Nugget got pretty sick and his fins started degrading, which heavily impacted his activity. He more or less stayed at the bottom of his bowl and did not swim around as much as he used to. Long story short, I did some research to figure out what was happening and why he didn't seem as bubbly (no pun intended) as he was when I first got him, found him the appropriate medicine, and Nugget recovered and began swimming around again.

However, even though Nugget recovered, his fins never grew back to the extent they did when I first got him and that still impacts his swimming today. Despite that, Nugget continues to be a happy fish and still gets just as excited when I feed him in the morning!

Thinking outside of the fish bowl, I realized there are things we can all take from Nugget's story: Sometimes life happens; you get sick or obstacles get in your way that impact how easily you can reach your goal. In the end, your resiliency will get you through! Any obstacle that gets in your way, do your research to learn the best way to tackle your situation, turn to your support networks, and keep your goal in mind; whether that be to overcome swimming difficulty and eat those Betta fish food pellets or to apply for that internship that seems out of reach. 

Depending on your obstacle, there are plenty of resources you can utilize right here at Hofstra! From the Counseling Center, Services for Students with Disabilities, to the Multicultural & International Student Programs, there are plenty of people you can turn to for support.

And as always, when it comes to your career path, let us at the Career Center be your support to overcome your obstacles and reach your goal! 

Anne Monique Concepcion,
Graduate Assistant