As I went graduation party shopping, I began to reflect about college, mostly of what I wanted the most. I thought that giving incoming freshman what I didn't have would be the best gift. When this proved to be a hard task, I started to scramble, accepting mediocre ideas. Besides a car and perfect grades, I must contend that my freshman year of college went relatively well.
Now I writing this blog, I begin to wonder what write to my two closest graduating senior friends. One bound to join the ranks of the great young minds of America; the other preparing to give others all that she has for herself. While we all have different goals in life, different goals for goals, different ideals--differences in short, college is a unique binding experience. I have no idea who my friends will be next year, the year after, or after my own graduation from college. This year presented itself in a variety of ways through a variety of people. As I think about each quarter, I see my own transformation flash before me.
Fall quarter, I started college. My list of things to accomplish for the quarter was thumbtacked in front of me on my bulletin board. While I don't quite remember what those goals were, I still remember the emotions that I felt that quarter: nervousness, fear, anxiety, happiness. That quarter, I found my roommate (hopefully) for next year. I also found the twenty-four hour library. I remember the All-American Rejects concert with friends of old. I remember as pure emotion rushed through me after my first racquetball win. Then after it all, I remember the disappointment, the tiredness and the longing to return home.
Winter quarter, I learned college. The first memory of this quarter, besides the snow, was my fifteen credit hours away from science and normal life. More importantly I found rhythm during this quarter. As my life stabilized, I began to branch out and reach those who lived around me. Time with new friends, time on the phone, all times of joy and happiness. I began to accept what lied ahead of me and what I needed to do in order to succeed. If any quarter, this quarter made me understand what college was about. During orientation, I was told that in college, I wasn't competing against my classmates, instead I was competing against my teacher and the world. I had to learn how to balance my life: friends, school work, lab work, volunteering. While things have changed this quarter, what I do in college hasn't changed. To find things and do them passionately changed my perception of life.
Spring quarter, I met college. Parties, friends, hard work, lack of sleep and more, I met them all this quarter. During this time, my late night journeys sprouted three close friendships. Of all the many quarters to come, I am completely positive that this will be a defining one. This was the quarter that I lived college and succeeded (pending...). Finding friends, past passions, drive and previous success were all so important. This was the quarter that was defined not by just grades/school or just friends. This is the quarter where I found friends for life and moved forward with my own. These friends aren't those in passing, but those you fit your life around to see them again. While this quarter is the end of my first crooked journey through college, I am sure that I will see them again: in my suite, in my residence hall, at Ohio State. From this quarter, I carry the memories of 3 am walks for breakfast, watching a movie every single night, rediscovering an old passion and lots and lots of hard work. This quarter confirmed to me that I am ready for life.
As I will soon begin to write my friends' graduation cards, I find myself leaving them with only a few, but solid advice.
1. Find something that you love. Anything will work, as long as you have something. Something to save you from a bad day at school, a hard decision or a fight with your closest friend. For me, I find it in my friends. From taking a run with someone on the floor, playing piano in the lobby without a care who listens, or killing aliens with a insomniac like myself, experiencing life with others gives me so much joy.
2. Give everything your best shot. I say this because only then will you be satisfied with yourself. To push yourself to pure exhaustion and then see your idea, your efforts bloom into something great.
3. Trust yourself most always. Sometimes you only have the option to go with your gut. Even when all logic fails to support it, the decision is always yours in the end. The most important person that you have to answer to is yourself. If you can't answer to yourself, then it's not worth doing.
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