As humans, we are often resistant to change, especially change within ourselves because it can feel like a betrayal to who we once were. We cling to our past selves, because it is human nature to resist change, but what we need to learn as that oftentimes change is growth.
As we grow up, we turn into products of the environment in which we are raised. We form opinions, habits, and beliefs based on those of our families, friends and generally the culture in which we grew up in. However, at a certain stage in life, each individual reaches a point where they form their own opinions and develop into an adult. Many of us begin to undergo this process in college, the first time we move away from our comfortable home environment and are thrust into an unknown situation, forcing us to gain independence and a stronger sense of self along the way.
College, in essence, is a time to learn and therefore second guess everything that we have ever known. With availability to new knowledge and different perspectives, we grow out of the small bubble in which so many of us are raised. However, while many of us resist this personal growth because it is unfamiliar, change (especially personal change) can oftentimes be for the best. There is nothing wrong with opening up your mind to new experiences and beliefs, allowing yourself to discover something new about yourself.
I for one love my parents, and have grown up thinking that they have all of the answers. To this day, my mother remains my role model, and I agree with her on so many things. But what has changed as I have grown up, is I have realized that my parents are human. While I look up to my mom and admire her like crazy, I am not afraid to form my own opinions even if they are different from hers.
This past year I have questioned religious, political, and emotional beliefs and maybe I’m not as sure about my convictions as I was a year ago, but the ones that I possess are purely mine, and I have developed into someone who is able to be independent and hold onto my individual beliefs, despite the influence of others.
