Growth....change...purpose Today was my first day of junior year. I can hardly believe I am starting my 3rd year of college, it feels surreal. The journey I have had at Augie thus far has been amazing and I know it will/can only get better. The amazing friends and family I have are what help me get through those hard-stressful-make-you-want-to-cry-days! I have a lot on my plate this semester, but a challenge is good and keeps me at my best. While although I have loved my summer break I am ready to be back at school. I remembered today after sitting in my lectures how much I missed school. The feeling you get when something clicks, that feeling of understanding a new concept, the feeling of overcoming obstacles you once thought were impossible. Ya I missed that, wow, nerd alert!!! Growth….change… is their a difference? As Gandhi once said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world”. I have always loved this quote, but I am beginning to learn that before you can be that change that the world needs, you must grow or develop as an individual. This year is about growing, exploring, experimenting, and courageously doing.
When I entered as a freshmen I was majoring in elementary education. When people asked why I would say a basic answer like, “because I like working with kids.” It was my go-to answer. While that is a true statement, it wasn’t my honest answer. Then sophomore year came around and I decided to take a leap of faith and try an art class. I enrolled in drawing 101, which was terrifying for the fact that I didn’t think I could draw. This was one of my first/best decisions I had made. It was through this leap that I discovered something about myself, I discovered my ability to achieve something I thought was impossible. I feared that people would judge, compare, or negatively critique my work. I felt so exposed sharing my most personal work, but I began to learn that my fear was the only thing getting in the way of my ability. Thanks to a wonderful professor who had a little faith in me, I decided to change my major to art and education.
Unlike change or growth, I believe our purpose stays the same. We are meant to live purposeful, meaningful lives. Through my personal growth I have learned it isn’t so much what a person majors in, as much as it is becoming a purposeful being with a passion. Each day is a new day, with new opportunities. The day I decided to be honest with myself, was the day I began living up to my potential.
The goals I am setting for myself this 2011-2012 academic year:
-Recognize and appreciate the small things
-Take things one thing at a time (even in stressful situations)
-Use my strengths
-Develop my photography skills and make a name for myself
-Continuously be me (even in times of doubt and hesitancy)
-Look at every opportunity as a growing experience
-Love boldly
-Forgive and forget
