I am finally done with all of my college applications. Now, it is just a waiting game. Recently, every conversation I have had with an adult sounds the same… “Oh, honey! You’re a senior right? Do you know where you are going to college yet? Well, let me know as soon as you decide!” Although this conversation gets repetitive at times, I love hearing what people have to say afterward. I usually receive a few pieces of advice which lead to a deep conversation.

A couple weeks ago, after the usual conversation, someone told me, “I'm sure you will be happy where ever you decide to go to school. Just remember that good luck is a residue of preparation.” I’m sure this has been said before, but it was the first time I heard the phrase.

This simple sentence got me thinking. What really is luck? People tend to think of luck as a great thing happening out of the blue. For instance, winning the lottery, getting a raise, or slamming your brakes just in time before rear-ending the car in front of you. The usual reaction being, “wow, I really got lucky.”

So luck is sometimes winning the lottery, but what if luck is just a mixture of hard work and being prepared for any upcoming opportunity? What if luck is working hard to receive good grades throughout school? What if luck is working hard in college to land the job of your dreams? What if luck is just the product of a strong work ethic?

Sure, sometimes good things happen out of the blue and that is truly considered luck. However, as people, we have the power to create good luck for ourselves by being prepared for what we want to achieve. I think that’s what makes luck so interesting.