Do you have a Meaning in Life?
Monica Naguib
@MonicaNaguibb
Searching for meaning in life and answering the question who am I is difficult with the social sanctions, family pressures, fears of failure and judgment minefields one faces daily.
Decades ago, when AUC was in the heart of Tahrir, the answer to that eternal question might have been easier to reach. But so much has happened to the country’s society and culture in the past 12 or so years that identity as a concept has become convoluted and difficult to pin down.
Associate Professor of Practice at Psychology Department Jamie Mendoza said that seniors in college usually ask questions like ‘who am I?’, ‘what is my identity?’ and ‘where am I going?’
These questions about one’s self are discussed in many fields such as literature, philosophy and existential psychology which is about the meaning of existence and the difference between the true self and the false self.
“To find meaning in life is not something fixed, it may change from time to time. There’s also no common meaning of life as it’s something personal,” explained Mona El-Roby, Counselor at the Counseling Psychology Training Center.
El-Roby stressed that when individuals feel their life does not have any meaning, they just conform to society’s rules and therefore the majority of people just let culture control their lives.
“My purpose in life is to become a politician and the way to my dream is not easy as society imposes many regulations on politicians,” Political Science junior Christine Monir, said.
Another constraint that people put on themselves is fear of judgement and failure.
“My purpose is to live a life full of experiences and memories. I never want to regret something I didn’t do when I’m older. What’s preventing me is me. I am my own enemy,” Biology freshman Alia ElKady, said.
But for Architecture sophomore Hend Bazeed overthinking such existential questions ends up stressing her out. So she steers clear.
Others may be intimidated by family pressure. A simple example is how parents pressure their children to select a certain academic path. If parents do not let their children have the freedom of finding their own purpose in life, their children will struggle to find the purpose behind their lives.
Mendoza said that identity crises may manifest more than once in a lifetime, and people need to make vital decisions in their lives, otherwise, they will move further away from their true self.
Graduate Psychology student at AUC Maram Tolba said that making a decision is a tough process that is full of challenges and struggles but it also requires knowing one’s meaning in life beyond the perils of social control.
Tolba said that the true self is “alive, spontaneous and creative” and is discovered in experience. It is not something imposed upon us. Moreover, it reflects one’s real meaning in life.
Tolba added that the ones who find their real meaning in life are always energetic, friendly and most importantly, happy. On the other hand, the ones who only conform to society’s rules are always shy, lonely and confused.
Tolba also shed light on some ways to try to find meaning in life. Engaging in something significant such as work, education, volunteering, or even providing care for another human being can help individuals add value to their lives.
Electronic Engineering Senior Hassan El Sherbiny said that his purpose in life is to help people in need.
Creativity could also be helpful.
Counselor at the Counseling Psychology Training Center Christina Guirguis said that creativity is about a novel product growing out of the uniqueness of the individual. Moreover, creativity is not restricted to art as there is no difference in the process of painting a picture and creating new forms of one’s own personality.
Eventually, creativity can lead individuals to find meaning in their lives through enjoying the uniqueness of what they are doing.
“My purpose [in life] is to be the best version of myself, I would fight to be a better engineer,” Electronics and Communication Engineering Sophomore Adham Elkholy, said.
