OCTAVIUS I CY-1Ω

"The biggest mistake new students make is believing that everyone else knows what they’re doing... they don’t. Most are just improvising convincingly enough that no one notices. So here’s the first tip: Don’t be impressed by confidence… it’s often just well-rehearsed acting. Second tip: Ask questions, the smartest people in this building are constantly asking questions. Third tip: Don’t confuse volume with competence, some people talk nonstop, that doesn’t mean they have anything valuable to say. And the most important tip: Stop basing your self-worth on what others think of you. There are plenty of people walking around here who spend their whole lives chasing recognition. From the outside, it looks impressive, but if you look closer, you’ll often notice something, that the recognition itself means nothing to them. What they really want is influence, they want a court of people who agree with them, admire them, work for them, and make them feel important. The only problem is that this never truly sets you free, you become dependent on the approval of others and constantly need more of it. Self-confidence works differently... it doesn’t come from a hundred people clapping, but from being able to stand tall even when no one is clapping. So focus on skills, on knowledge… on your own standards. The right people will respect that, and the wrong ones were never important enough to need their approval."

In his opinion, she didn’t need any of that at all, but he had seen the looks on the others’ faces, those who pretended to idolize him because he came from a good family, because his family was rich.. and that sort of thing had always disgusted him. He didn’t want all of that to spill over onto Lily and have her judged just because they were often seen together.

closed @Lili Poison Ivy.