It’s finally 2020 – the ‘Roaring 20s’, if you will – and it’s the year that I thought would never come. It’s the year of adulthood, ultimate responsibility, and becoming more than what I thought I was last year. As a kid, I constantly talked about wanting to graduate and become an adult because of typical preteen angst. However, being a senior in high school and having adulthood look you straight in the face is a bit scary. In starting my senior year, I was sort of afraid of what the future would hold, especially when looking for colleges and what the costs were. I began to panic because I felt that I wasn’t ready for whatever was about to come. Eventually, my viewpoint began to change and little by little I began to receive these opportunities that guaranteed my future because of the work I put into determining what I want to do with my life.
To those of you who find yourself worrying about your futures, it’s okay. It’s okay to worry, as it’s a natural part of life, but try not to always get so caught up in what you fear you cannot do. I will give you a huge tip on this type of issue, though. Grind while you can. “Work hard now so you play hard later.” I heard that so much and never took that into consideration. To be completely honest, I thought it was a little stupid when I was younger because I had the thought that regardless, you still had to constantly work hard for what you wanted your entire life. But that’s just really not the case. When I started to work harder last semester and put my full focus on the things I wanted, I was able to get such satisfying results. And it is the best feeling I’ve ever experienced. Getting accepted into my first college was such a big achievement to me. I had been stressing to the max because of an irrational fear of not being able to get into a good college yet I’ve been accepted into six colleges and counting. I even got into my dream college and it’s an honor to even have been accepted, even if personal circumstances do not allow me to go. My writing, which I worked so hard to improve over the past few years, got me that opportunity along with scholarships.
And, I promise you, it’s not as hard as you think. It’s only a matter of breaking old habits and teaching yourself discipline. Will it take hard work? Yes. But you’ve got to want it. I remember sitting down last year and having my own type of consolation to figure out what I wanted to do. There was no more time for slacking and I needed to get my head out of the clouds. Even this year, I had moments where my head was stuck in the clouds, but I was able to ground myself again and become more realistic.
It’s been stressful but it’s been fun. I’ve got 14 days to enjoy my childhood and then it’s just that. Sure I have a couple months of school that’ll serve as extra time but there’s a new door that I’m prepared to open. And I want to pass down the motivation that’s gotten me to where I am today. Be the best version of yourselves and work hard for your future. Do it for yourself. : )
