It's likely you've created a few bucket list by now. I've noticed throughout my freshman year of college that I've talked about a lot of things that I want to do. However, when it comes to completing those things, there are only a few I can check off. A bucket list is more than just a list of risky things to tell your roommates. They can also be personal goals that you set for yourself to help grow. I've noticed when it comes to creating my bucket list, my personal goals are heavily influenced by my parents and grandparents. Here are a few of things I want to accomplish throughout my life!
Travel
Okay, I know this is probably on a lot of bucket list. However, when I say "travel," I don't just mean for vacation. Yes it's nice to be a tourist, but why not combine tourism with making a difference? One of my hot-spot destinations is Somalia, Africa. I've been in love with the idea of traveling to Africa since I was a small child. I'm not sure if it's the natural beauty of the land or the culture, but what I do know is I want to live there someday!
I love Africa so much I dedicated a significant portion of my high school career researching their economy and culture. When I was in high school I helped organize my high school's annual "Oxfam Hunger Banquet." The purpose of this banquet is to show inequality in our justice system. Africa has more than 30 countries considered to be underdeveloped. As an individual, I feel you can not fix an issue unless the public is aware of it. During this event we would divide our school into three classes: upper, middle and lower. They would then spend the day learning what it's like to apart of each social class. For example, during the event, upper class was fed a five-star meal while those in the lower class were fed water dyed brown. Other living styles were taught through daily activities. At the end of the event the school would discuss and compare how each class lived. Creating awareness is the first step in fixing an issue.
Aside from the hunger banquet, I also wrote multiple research papers about Africa. One in particular addressed the water scarcity in Somalia. In addition to writing these papers, I took it to a panel of judges at Ohio State University and presented the issue. One of the biggest things I took away from that competition was from a professor who came up to me and said, "You're going to do big things." And this is what I intend to do!
So yes, traveling is very high on my bucket list!
Work For a Nonprofit
This goes hand-in-hand with my wishes to travel. After I'm able to pay off all of my student debt (which may take a while), I hope to work with a nonprofit organization that allows me to travel. It would be great to work in their PR department and bring awareness to the aforementioned issues. But I do not want to stop there. I want to be able to go to countries like Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Haiti, Ghana, and India to build wells so that our people have access to clean water. When I say "our" people, I'm unifying the world as a whole. Yes, we might be split up into continents, countries, states, heck even cities; but at the end of the day, we all have the same goal: to live a good life! Each of us has a different path that will lead us there. However, no matter if you are a doctor, educator, speaker, or factory worker, you still are leaving this world a better place than it was before. By working for a nonprofit I feel that I am able to best fulfill my aspiration in life.
Be Like My Mother
I haven't talked about my mom a lot in my articles because I have a hard time putting my love for her into words. I find myself in tears every time I draft an article about her, the good kind of tears of course. My mother is such a strong-hearted woman who has dedicated her life to making sure her children are successful. When I was six weeks old, she took me into her house when she didn't have to. From there, she fought for my safety until December of 2000 when I was adopted and finally had the privilege to legally call her mom! As a child, she was faced with discrimination, abuse, and neglect, but she has overcome all of these obstacles. At the age of 17, she was kicked out for pursuing a biracial relationship; at 24, she lost her first husband; and at 42 she still regrets some of her life choices. Although she may have some regrets, which we all do, my mom is able to say that she made a difference in this world. Both her and my father have raised a loving family. They've now sent two kids off to college and have a third on his way there!
My father, who's a sergeant, and my mother, who's a former paramedic, worked in an impoverished city. They've both put their lives at risk to protect others. And most importantly they have shown my siblings, myself and everyone around them what it's liked to be loved. I hope one day to have as big of an impact on this world as my mother and father have had on me.
Get a Tattoo
Not everything on your bucket list has to be risky or life changing. Sometimes it's good to do things for your own personal satisfaction. I actually have two tattoos I hope to get. The first one is pictured on the left and it's the combination of both a triangle and heart. This is the symbol of adoptions. A triangle has three sides: yourself, your biological parents and your adopted parents. The heart that overlaps the triangle is a symbol of the love between the three connections. Some people hate the fact that their biological parents neglected or abandoned them. I, on the other hand, thank mine each night in my prayers. It is because of them that I have been able to have so much success in my life. If it weren't for them, chances are I would not have the opportunity to go away to college and earn a great degree. I would for sure not have the opportunity to write this article and share it with you all!
The second tattoo pictured is a semicolon. This tattoo is a part of a project known as "The Semicolon Project." The mission of the organization is to "restore hope and confidence in people who are troubled by addiction, depression, self-harm, and suicide." The symbolism within the tattoo is the idea of never giving up. An author uses a semicolon when they have the opportunity to end a sentence but instead chose to continue. In life you always have the opportunity to end things, but you are reminded to keep moving forward.
This symbol is important to me because I struggle with anxiety. Let's be real here, everyone struggles with anxiety. This is something that I have had to face my entire life. It was something that controlled my life for 18 years. It wasn't until spring semester of my freshman year that I realized I am in control of my decisions, my life. Before then, my anxiety always factored into my decision making and it caused me to miss out on a lot. It caused me to feel depressed, alone, and helpless. Once I realized these feelings I was having were abnormal and once I was able to open up and be true to myself, I slowly gained control of my life. Getting this tattoo is also another reminder that I am in control of my bucket list!
These are just a few things on my list, what's on your list? If you find yourself asking the same question then chances are you aren't sure. Making a bucket list is a good way to organize your thoughts and gives you the opportunity to think about what you want to do to achieve the common goal of living a good life! So I leave you with one question: what's your purpose in life?
