First of all, I have to say I took this pitch with a grain of salt. Okay, more like a bucket. To be honest, I am not the one that should be giving any kind of advice on not freaking out. Especially when it comes to thinking about the future. That’s some scary stuff, especially for people that feel the need to always be in control.
Yet after receiving my final torch last night at Torchlight, the uncertain future seemed to be staring me and my fellow juniors right in the face. For readers unfamiliar with Torchlight, it is an event where seniors pass on a literal and proverbial torch down to an underclassmen to carry on their legacy. This has been the second year I’ve been on the receiving end of this tradition. To be honest is probably one of the things that has inspired my love for Lasell, even when many other things have fought to wear it down. Looking around and watching friends who have become more like family walk hand in hand with each other, I had a realization.
No one knows what the hell they’re doing. Even the people who feel like they have everything handled, can’t predict what tomorrow is really going to bring. So to my fellow rising seniors here’s what I have to say. Enjoy the ride. And know that there will be people who’ve got your back when the road gets bumpy.
So instead of worrying remember that stressing never got anyone anywhere. And our time here is limited, now more than ever. Replace biting nails over Capstone ideas and whether or not career opportunities are going to fall from the sky with remembering that we have gotten this far which means we can keep going. We have looked to our torchbearers for the last three years to show us the way and now it’s out turn. We have become the mentors, they’ve taught us well.
There will be days, maybe this summer even, where it feels like the sky is falling and there’s absolutely no hope. But there is. Take a breath, a step back and a sip of wine, and realize that everything will be okay because there is the chance to move forward in each single moment.
It seems easier said than done, right? And it is. We preach to each other about the future, telling our peers that they’ll get figure it all out, whatever “it” is and not believe it about ourselves.
Yet after watching our senior community pass along their torches, going from face to face of those I know well, those I have watched from a distance and even those who have kept their distance from me, it all became clear.
We’re going to be okay. We may not be ready for the world, but it’s just as likely that the world isn’t ready for us, but tomorrow will come and maybe it will bring new opportunities. Or maybe it won’t. Don’t let the uncertainty stop you from savoring the journey. Senior year doesn’t have to be a time of wasted what-ifs and stress. It is meant to be the last year of preparation before diving head first into reality. Preparation and of course, a good time.
So why not enjoy it? We’re all in it together.