When students go off to college they become sucked into the “social bubble." This includes every social opportunity you can ever imagine, having more freedom than before, and having the ability to make your own choices without someone else questioning them. Some handle this new freedom rather well, and some not so much.

For many of those who can find the balance of being social while also remembering why they are there (for academic purposes) they are also ones to remember whom they left back in their hometown. The ones who taught them their values, helped them learn valuable lessons, taught them how to assess difficult situations, and most importantly those who gave them unconditional love.

Family is something I will always see as a number one priority. Even though this is just my second year away from home, I have already been shown on multiple occasions that no matter where you are, your family is always there for you.

In this generation, many families are combined or formed in less traditional ways, however that means nothing when it comes down to realizing who will never leave you in the dust. I am beyond blessed with the upbringing I have experienced. Coming from a family founded on tradition, lessons learned, and unbreakable love, I have been shown how to forgive those who hurt you, how to prove to myself I am capable, and how to get back up no matter how many times I have been knocked down. There's no one else to thank for that than the ones I have been surrounded by since the day I was born, one hot summer afternoon.

The special thing about families is that no ones is the same. No matter how hard you try, it is impossible to find another family exactly like yours. This is what I see to be so special and important about them. If you have such a rarity in your life, why wouldn't you do everything you can to keep it close to your heart and hold there forever?

I know not everyone can relate to how I have been raised or even think of seeing eye-to-eye with me on my priorities, however I see that as being a way to improve in further generations. Those I have met that don't have the best relationship with their blood family, I hope they use that as motivation to be even more loving to their future spouse and kids or they find a family with open arms willing to welcome them in.

My two older brothers were members of my high school's soccer team all four years that they were there. This adds up to six years total of me attending St. James soccer games. Something I learned being a sibling of a player is the acronym printed on all the jerseys and some of their shirts that read FOE. This was impressed on them by their coach.

Family Over Everything. Family encompasses your blood family, your soccer family (in their case), and our religious family. In any situation it is important to always think of your family and how they could be impacted as well as how it will impact your relationship with them.

When I am studying for a test or deciding whether to partake in events I always have the thought of whether I would make my parents, my siblings, my friends, and my God proud. They are always on my mind and always my top priority because even if I do make a mistake they are there to help me push through with a hug and encourage me not to make that mistake a second time.

I wouldn't be me without my family and there is no other group of people I would want to love me and help guide me through my life.