Two weeks ago, the incoming year 12 girls listened to a presentation by Mr Townley entitled ‘Happiness’. Together, we looked at how the brain works and the release of chemicals such as serotonin and oxytocin that evoke feelings of happiness. Since then, we have been thinking, ‘Well, does it work the other way? What does the brain do when confronted with fear and uncertainty?’
We are living in unbelievably uncertain times. We are watching the confusing aftermath of a momentous election while the virus is still spreading like wildfire across the world. Our vision of the next few years is hazy and blurry. So, what does this uncertainty mean for us, as girls and as students striving for our goals? Has our fortune and privilege equipped us with the skills necessary to face fear and uncertainty? We often hear ‘we learn from mistakes, not from successes’ and ‘the way we handle mistakes determines who we are.’ But does success only come from a place of failure? Of working and reworking issues until they are resolved? Or can success come from a place of fear or uncertainty?
Uncertainty can be seen as simply an absence of knowledge. However, uncertainty is used in science not to measure lack of information but to measure how well something is known. It gives us positive information, telling us there is a range of possible values within which the true measurement lies. It seems to us that this concept can be useful in how we see the world because uncertainty becomes a measure of possibility.
Uncertainties are the building blocks for success. We may feel lost in a sea of options, opinions or ideas. We may be prone to shying away from uncertainty for the fear of doing something wrong. Perfectionist tendencies are increasing and this is partially due to the ability to modify the image of oneself in social media. Aspiring to be the best in everything we do is generally received positively by our peers and the general population, so it’s only natural that students like us want to portray the best version of ourselves in our schoolwork, sport and day-to-day life.
At the same time, we are taught to go and learn by inquiry, by seeking our own path – which sounds great but can also cause countless moments of frustration. How are we meant to know the right thing to research? How should we write our study notes? These questions are formed from uncertainty, and there is a hidden, underlying worry of ‘what if I am wrong?’ Faced by this uncertainty, perfectionist tendences can cause us to shy away from the task because fear and uncertainty are uncomfortable and even frightening
Yet, what if we were to use this uncertainty as a motivator? By rejecting fixed understandings and challenging conventional certainties, scientists have developed new hypotheses and solved crucial global issues. By continually questioning the given narratives of our past, we gain greater understanding of our present. Perhaps we can use feelings as fear as an indicator of new opportunities fix a problem or to gain independence, whether as students at Queenwood or as young women entering the world.
Uncertainty is uncomfortable but it can drive us onwards in our careers, education and life. Growing comfortable with it, we can seek new opportunities that might otherwise have dismissed because we were too worried about making a mistake. So, as strange as it sounds, we must all take a more active role in seeking out uncertainty and fear. This will be crucial in our lives, especially as me enter life beyond Queenwood, where we will certainly be less cushioned by caring adults.
Most of us have no idea yet of who we want to become or what we want to do. But we are coming to understand that this uncertainty will drive us to greater things. After all, uncertainty is our only certainty. In the words of the author Mandy Hale, “Trust the wait. Embrace the uncertainty. Enjoy the beauty of becoming. When nothing is certain, anything is possible.” Embrace it.
Taylor Heiniger, Head Prefect & Alex Harrop, Vice Head Prefect 2021