Many years ago, I was a senior year in high school. I thought I was really at my peak, right then and there. Of course, I still had the rest of my life to go, but this is what it felt like at the time.

Then, my dad passed away.

I felt like I was back at an all-time low, this completely sucked, but as I will explain later, it made this story what it is. You can read more about that, here.

At the very end of senior year, a lot was happening, and it kept my mind off of things. We had the senior prom, awards nights, and a few other fun things that I was looking forward to. The week after everything happened, I was back in school, hoping for everything to fall back into place, and for things to be a little more normal.

Also that next week, I was offered a scholarship, and I got asked to prom. Things were looking up.

After that week, there were the awards nights. The first one was tennis. I was excited but didn’t go into it expecting much. By the end of the night, I was awarded most inspirational by my team members. Incredible.

The second awards night was coming up, and it was for ASB. For this one, I was not expecting anything special, but by the end of the night, I came out with another most inspirational award and a 4-year member award. Me? Most inspirational to two different teams? Yes.

This is when my perspective started to change.

Anyway, going to college, I was very open-minded I was ready to make some new pals here and there and to continue where my education was going. Little did I know what was to come. Through my first semester, I was settling in and finding my way around. Not overly involved, but still happy with where I was.

Something came up on Facebook today reminding me of a post; it was a life update that I was sharing with my friends and family, just to let them know how I was doing. Things have changed, and the change has been wonderful. Not that I wasn’t happy with what I was doing, it is just different from what I am used to doing now.

The second semester, things started to change, and my pace started to pick up a bit. This is the beginning of my love story.

I joined a sorority. The first step. I fell in love with the people I was surrounding myself with. The positive energy that these amazing, inspiriting, different girls were giving off. Incredible. I think that is one of the biggest and most important things that you can do for yourself—surround yourself with positive people who will better you, who will inspire you to do more, to chase after your dreams, and to move you forward in a direction that will benefit you to the greatest capacity.

The next thing I started doing was taking time for myself and started looking at what I want to do as a career. To this day, I still have no idea, but looking at internships and jobs that will benefit me in the future was something I was starting to focus on. If there is something that you can do for yourself that can benefit you, do it. It is not being selfish, it is taking time to focus on new opportunities that can open up your future.

The last thing that I did my freshman year of college was start living, not just existing. These are two things that have such different meanings.

First semester, something I would do would be in my room, sitting there on a Tuesday night while my friends were going out and doing fun things, or being involved in clubs—this is something I wanted to do.

So that’s what I changed for second semester. I got more involved, I was making more friends, I was going to concerts that made me so so happy, I would stay up late with my friends talking about our goals and what we wanted to do later in life, all of which made me feel like I was living.

Summer came along. I was home. I was enjoying the sunshine, and I was noticeably happy. Why would I be bummed? I had literally nothing to make me sad. I was working full time and meeting people who made me so happy, I was hanging out with my friends, I was exercising, and I was living. I had not been this happy since that moment in my senior year. Everything in the world was happy.

But was everything in the world happy? No. Watch the news, and you will think differently. Anything could change, but it is the active choice of being happy and turning negative situations into positive ones that you can benefit from. Getting rid of those people in your life that are not always the best influence and making more time for the ones who are growing with you.

This is how you fall in love with life.

You can read something I wrote a little bit earlier this year about perception, but it is the perception you want to take on the world is what you make it. It really is.

This year, I have been the happiest I have ever been. Compared to last year, this is what is happening in my life right now:

1. I am pursuing something I love: I just got certified to become a makeup artist and do freelance work, I am employed at Clinique at my school, and I just got a position at Ulta.
2. I am doing well in school—I am enrolled in my classes next year and I can’t wait.
3. I just got an officer position in the house—I am the new VP of Public Relations!
4. I have made the best friends I could have ever imagined.
5. I am going to the gym quite often and running 25 miles a week—along with eating better and staying healthy in general.
6. I am so, so happy.

So many things have changed between this year and last year, and even more so this year and senior year, but I could not be more in love with life than I am right now. I am so excited to see what is ahead in my future. I am truly in love with life and everything it has to offer me.