The incredible Season 7 of Game of Thrones is officially over, so it seems only right to celebrate the sassiest and smartest man in Westeros, Tyrion Lannister (even if one of his plans recently wasn’t brilliant, he’s still great). Making up for his diminutive height and being quite literally looked down on by the warring families in George R.R. Martin’s world, his thoughtful one-liners and cynical quips offer nuggets of wisdom that everyone can take on board… especially new students. So, without further ado and in true Buzzfeed style, here are six Tyrion Lannister quotes to live by.
1. ‘A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone.’
Image via Helen Sloan/ HBO
There are a lot of keen advocates of reading in Game of Thrones. ‘A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies… the man who never reads only leads one,’ Jojen Reed adds – it might be easy to forget that fiction exists when your degree has a reading list the length of the Wall, but losing yourself in a book every now and again is a great way to relax and de-stress after a day of lectures or an assignment deadline.
2. ‘I try to know as many people as I can. You never know which one you’ll need.’
Coming to university might be daunting, but as Tyrion points out, knowing people is a great way to start. Whether you get to meet people through halls, societies or your degree, learn names and keep in touch, because the friendships you’ll make at university can last you a lifetime.
3. ‘Death is so final, yet life is so full of possibilities.’
Ignoring the slightly morbid first half, Tyrion’s attitude towards life is positive and applicable to everybody. Life is infinitely exciting and full of things to do, and embracing that philosophy is a great approach to take at university. Explore the local area, take modules you’re interested in and get out into the world having experienced all that Southampton has to offer (even if that includes Jesters)!
4. ‘Once you’ve accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you.’
Image via Writalin.com/HBO
The standard of work at university is higher than what you’ll be used to from A-Levels at school or college. Take a leaf from Tyrion’s book and accept feedback positively, because there’s always room for improvement. Lecturers are here to help you better yourself and enjoy areas of study that you may have never learned about before, so take all their comments on board and show them what you can do.
5. ‘Never forget who you are, the rest of the world will not. Wear it like armour and it can never be used to hurt you.’
Everyone who starts their life in a new place is trying to create their own identities, and ultimately decide who they are. Don’t ever feel pressured to do anything you don’t want to do, because there’s no single way to tackle student life. So you want to go out to Switch every other night? That’s fine! Or you want to stay in and finish an article on your reading list? Also fine! Be true to yourself and find a lifestyle that works for you.
6. ‘That’s what I do: I drink and I know things.’
Quite possibly the most accurate summary of student life ever written in a sentence. As Tyrion reminds us, ‘Everything’s better with some wine in the belly.’ Don’t be afraid to take some time out and relax at university, because putting pressure on yourself might get results, but consider your mental wellbeing too.
Future Freshers, university doesn’t take its time as the Starks’ famous Winter did – it’s almost here! Hopefully these words of wisdom from everyone’s favourite imp will give you some food for thought as you start your preparations for university life. For now, let’s all enjoy rewatching the Game of Thrones season finale until Season 8 comes!
Gif via HBO
