1. What to study

“AI, energy, and biosciences are promising fields where you can make a huge impact” says the Co-founder of Microsoft and the Gates Foundation. It’s apparently what he would study if starting out today.

2. Intelligence isn’t one-dimensional

“Looking back on when I left college, there are some things I wish I had known. Intelligence takes many different forms… And not as important as I used to think,” reminisces Gates.

3. Fight inequity

In his tweetstorm, Gates remarks that young people today know more about the world than he did at that age – in fact, he claims he knew very little about the worst inequities when leaving school.“You can start fighting inequity, whether down the street or around the world, sooner”.

4. How to be your best self

Like Warren Buffet, the living legend measures his happiness by whether people close to him are happy and love him, and by the difference he makes for others. “Surround yourself with people who challenge you, teach you, and push you to be your best self. As Melinda Gates does for me,” advises Gates.

5. If he could give each of you a graduation present…

It would be The Better Angels of Our Nature: Why Violence Has Declined by celebrated cognitive scientist, psychologist, linguist, and author, Steven Pinker. Pinker shows how this is the most peaceful time in history, and Gates calls it the most inspiring book he’s ever read. “If you think the world is getting better, you want to spread the progress to more people and places. It doesn’t mean you ignore the serious problems we face. It just means you believe they can be solved,” tweets the billionaire magnate and philanthropist. This is the core of Gates’ worldview and what has sustained him in “tough times”. He believes it can do the same for you.

— thedailystar.