I’ve always been the kind of guy that's never let up on looking towards the future. Most day, I’ve woken up with a genuine zest for living and for seeing what the new day has in store for me.

That might sound like talk coming from a sunny-side-up optimist. Partly, it is.

I must confess, I’ve had my days. Days where I became scared that everything was going too well and, as a result, began questioning my good fortune.

I did so not necessarily because I have a masochistic side that wants bad things to happen. Rather, I did so because I’m a big picture kind of guy.

In the big picture of human history, there have been ups and downs of all kinds. The great Greek and Roman civilizations must have seemed god-like at the height of their existence, yet they’re nothing but bits of history now. Similarly, a MOTOROLA RAZR flip phone must have knocked the pants off of teenagers at some point, but now they’re little beyond curiosity.

This kind of reality extends to our lives as college students. Ups and downs are aplenty, be they regarding grades, friendships or relationships. Whenever we’re on a roll, something comes out of the blue and knocks us down. By the same token, the promise of a brighter future rescues us from abandon when we’re deepest in the mud.

Thinking about the big picture has always helped me sail through the various stations of my life. When everything's swelled, I keep my guard up against a forecast of trials and tribulations to come. Similarly, when stuff isn’t going my way, I trust that it can only get better from there.