Change is inevitable in everyone's life, however it is a thing that most people fear. Whether you're a generation Z, millennial or even a baby boomer, we all struggle coming to terms with change. I thought now would be the best time to talk about change, being that we all, from country to country, have been experiencing change to an extreme degree. From social distancing and stay-at-home orders, the generation known for being the "most out there," is now being forced to go inside and stay there due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
While being in the house almost 24/7 and going a bit stir crazy, like I know most of us have been, I've been able to reflect on all the change I've encountered in only 19 years. Whether the change was good or bad, while experiencing it, I was always extremely anxious as to what would come next. I think most people feel this way about something different, something new uncovering itself in your life. It's scary.
One of the biggest changes, other than being stuck in my apartment for the rest of the semester, would definitely have to be leaving home to come to college. My idea of change before coming to college was much more optimistic than it is now. I was eager, still anxious, but very eager to take on the next journey of my life. I wanted to make a big change by going far away for school and I did that by coming all the way to Columbia, Missouri. I was the only one out of my entire graduating class to go out of state and leave the luxuries of sunny California behind. A question I still get till this day is why come to Missouri of all places? The answer is one of the first big changes of my college journey: where I would go to school. The lack of funds and a decision to not completely put my parents in debt, I gave up on my dream school and came to Missouri.
From a University of Oregon Duck to a University of Missouri Tiger, I accepted the change. Only because I assumed that I would still get a great college experience and achieve my dream of going out of state. Little did I know that change wasn't done with my college journey yet. Adjusting to a whole new state, a whole new school and just Midwest culture in general was and still is one of the hardest changes I have faced yet. I'm sure that I am not alone in saying that making any place your "home" is extremely difficult, especially in Columbia.
I've had to change my expectations of college, the people around me and even myself since coming to Missouri. With all the changes I've made, I haven't been able to lessen the angst they bring me, however I am learning to accept them. Accepting the good, the bad and even the unknown, can be difficult and is truly a day-to-day thing for me. However, my idea of change is to get use to it because it isn't going anywhere. Change is necessary and often it teaches us something in the long run. As we all go through these current changes together, let's try to roll with the punches and accept it because more change is to come. Hopefully the coming change allows us out of the house soon!
