It's weird to think that it's been a year now since I've graduated high school, but in other ways, I can't believe it's only been a year. My experiences in high school were important to me, but not in the way you might think. Naturally, I'm someone who can be shy, and someone who won't speak up for herself. I remember having a question in elementary school and refusing to ask my teacher for help because my social anxiety got in the way, and that mentality has been something I have carried with me throughout my entire life.

I wasn't kidding when I said, "life begins at the end of your comfort zone" for my senior quote. Stepping away from my comfort zone was just what I did when I entered college, and my results have given me so much more than I could have ever imagined.

High school was the first time I started to step a little beyond my natural boundary, and get involved in things I never naturally would have. I participated in cross country and track, two things that I'm not naturally good at all. Trust me, I've had countless running meets, and I am definitely not a star on the track. I woke up one morning in the summer leading into my sophomore year of high school and told my mom I wanted to start running, and she supported me the entire way. I may not have been athlete-good at running, but I improved so much in such a short amount of time that I was so proud of myself in starting to get out of my comfort zone and showing pure vulnerability. High school was my first baby steps into finding myself, but college was me diving into the deep end.

I found my voice in college, which has allowed me to find my passion. I started getting involved in activities that genuinely brought me joy, which is something that nine-year-old me would have never imagined. Student affairs work is something that brings me so much joy and makes me feel as though I am fulfilling a greater purpose for myself. I never would have been able to get to this point in my life if I did not have people supporting me, cheering me on along the sidelines.

Although this may feel like a one-year reflection, this is more for me to look at myself and all of the progress I have made to conquer my anxieties throughout my entire life. I encourage everyone to do a reflection like this one, because this shows us all of the victories and accomplishments we really have, and lets us focus on the successes rather than the "what ifs."

Pick a senior quote that you want to encompass you, even if you are not mentally there just yet. You get one quote to look back on 20, 30, 70 years from now, so make sure to make it count. Look back on your senior quote and say, "wow, I really did that," because that's what life's all about.