Yesterday, I had quite a long conversation with my mom. It was about the beauty of independence. When I was growing up, I heard many people refer to independence as a very scary thing. With independence, there are bills, jobs, and futures to worry about. No one ever mentions the beauty behind it. Many times we take things for granted. We don't appreciate the independence bestowed on us because we suffer through long periods of confusion and frustration in figuring out the ways of the world. The world is easier when we let others create or polish our path. Unfortunately, that's not living.
For many of us, we receive a large portion of our independence being away from home at college. It's a time designated for self-exploration, as well as exploration of the world itself. Self-exploration? What's so great about that? It's an amazing process because of the fact that you can choose to be whoever you want to be. You can be a firefighter, a doctor or a professional dog-walker when you're independent. You can dedicate your life to service or you can choose to dedicate it to academics. The best part is that you can obtain true happiness from making these choices as a independent individual.
I do understand though that there are many people who don't enjoy this privilege. Many women across the world can not decide whether or not they want to be educated or join the work force. Many minorities are limited in their resources to expand and grow their horizons. That doesn't mean one can't become independent. It just simply means your fight for it has to be stronger. Stereotypes and social constraints may bring you down and make you feel as though independence on any level isn't attainable, but don't feel that. In fact, be proud of the mindful independence you have already have and use it to your advantage to expand your individualistic needs and broaden your independent capacity.
With independence, there also comes learning new life lessons and skill sets. I can personally attest to this. After leaving home, I realized how much more I loved home cooking. I loved being able to witness the process of delicious food being made. Now, don't get me wrong. I love eating out just as much as any other college student. I love international cuisine and having people of other cultures make me their favorite dishes. But there is something home-cooked food that makes the experience 100 times better. So, I ventured out into the Internet to learn how to cook on my own. For various weeks, I stopped by our local grocery store, picked up a few things, and spent my Saturday afternoons teaching myself basic recipes. I'm thankful that I can now say I don't burn water anymore on the stove. The ability to cook for oneself is a beautiful aspect of independence. Learning how to cook was just a click away.
As I mentioned in my last article, getting involved is an essential part of college life. Not only should you get involved with other students, but you should also take the opportunity to get involved with yourself. Get involved in knowing who you want to be and where you want to go. Appreciate the independence you have to make choices. If you don't have that independence, then fight for it. Independence goes far beyond a written declaration, it's a way of life. It's important that each individual acknowledges and appreciates their independence to reach their maximum happiness.
