Shoes in an apple tree. They're something incredibly simple that tell an extremely profound story. A close family friend of mine has an apple tree on her property. I was visiting her recently and she told me to go pick some apples. While I was picking from the tree, I looked up and noticed a pair of shoes hanging on one of the limbs. With my curiosity piqued, I asked my friend, Judy, why the shoes were hanging from the tree. She went on to explain that her mother previously owned the land and loved that particular tree. When her mother passed away, her shoes were placed in the tree as a symbol of her and as a memory of who she was.

We're all in college for four short years (five, if you're (un)lucky). As you finally walk across that stage, shake the president's hand, and receive the diploma you have worked so hard and so long for, you'll leave only one thing behind. You'll leave a legacy. You might think that you can slide by and be complacent in attending class and continue doing what you've done for years. You may think you can just leave without having harmed your university in any way. Even if that was possible, you shouldn't be satisfied with that. Truthfully, that is unattainable. You leave a footprint wherever you go, no matter how lightly you tread.

For me, this realization came much later than it should have. It wasn't until my junior year that I decided to open my eyes and make a difference. For each one of us, this appears a little differently. For some individuals, it may be serving as student government president and others may choose to lead in their fraternity or sorority. Also, there are those who silently impact the lives of people they encounter each and every day by simply sharing kind words.

You might think people such as the student government president, have the best job. They have the ability to easily affect change and then receive all the glory for their actions. While those positions are very important, I'll graduate college with the little things in mind. I'll leave remembering the late nights where my friends surrounded me. Whether it was a night of fun and laughter or having deep talks about the future, the past, and life in general, I'll always appreciate those times. Those are the memories I'll take with me.

Some of you may have three-and-a-half years left. Others may only have a semester to go. It's never too late, or too early, to start pushing or to leave a legacy you're proud of. When my university becomes my alma mater, I want to have made it better. I hope the people I've met, the organizations I participated in, and every area that my life touched, will have a fond memory of me.

Start now and don't stop striving to make a difference. Fight to leave a legacy that your university and your friends deserve. Hang your shoes in the apple tree.