If you’re reading this, it’s currently 8:30 PM on a Thursday summer night. It’s past the hot summer nights in mid-July, and you can feel the soft breeze from the night air flow in your window. The cooler air and calm night sky signal that summer is ending, and autumn is inching its way into the weather and your mood. You’ve always loved autumn, as it’s filled with lots of chilly football games, oversized sweatshirts, and pumpkins, but also because it brought comfort. Even though you always dreaded going back to school, it was a routine you knew, and having the same routine brought a sense of knowing and peace.
But, this year, everything is different. You’re no longer going to be walking down the same hallowed halls you laughed and pranced around in with your friends. You’re no longer going to have the chance to cheer on your football team from the stands decked out in black and gold in the student section. You’re no longer going to have the chance to dread changing for gym, just because it was cold out and you didn’t feel like competing with your classmates who believed that every class was practice for the Olympics. All of this is because you’re no longer in high school. You’re in the real world, and everything is different.
But, change is natural. Change is essential, and sometimes even welcomed. It allows for new experiences and memories to manifest in your life, and for old ones to fade away and become just that – memories.
By this time next month, you’ll be riding the train, studying in the library, and exploring the new playground that is Chicago. You’ve visited before for various events, but never anything to the extent of commuting into the city every few days at the crack of dawn. It’s going to be a big adjustment, but I know you can do it. In the blink of an eye, it’ll be October and you’ll be cramming for mid-terms and picking classes for winter quarter. It’s going to move fast, which is why it’s so important to make sure you take time and appreciate the life you’re living, and never take anything for granted.
Before you know it, it’ll be your senior year and graduation will be just around the corner. You’ll probably end up decorating your cap with something Ariana Grande related, just like high school, and you’ll be looking for a job, a place to live, and scrambling to figure out how you’re going to pay back your student loans. But, when you’re sitting in the hard-backed chairs on the floor of the arena, make sure to remember one thing. The person who did the work, put in the hours, and overcame all obstacles was you.
All you need to do is believe in yourself, and remember that every little thing is going to be alright. You can do this.
On to the next adventure!
-Mark
