Throughout our lives, we place an extravagant amount of excitement on firsts. Baby's first word, first steps, first birthday, first day of school, first practice, first boyfriend, first kiss, first time, first everything. It seems as if everything has a first that is celebrated. And it's true, firsts are exciting.
Today, I had my first collegiate meet. I woke up three times in excitement--or anxiety--before my alarm went off. I had the same type of sleep before my first night in the dorms and my first day of classes. But why are firsts so exciting? Why do we put so much emphasis on them?
The obvious reason is because they signal the beginning of something new: possibly a new stage in life, or a new era. But more often than not, these milestones aren't actually that big. First practice? First day of class? Why celebrate them?