College is a windy road in which we strive to find the true meaning of ourselves. Throughout the most significant four years of our youth, we continue to discover our interests, our friends, our career path and most importantly, who we really are. This path may appear to be simple, but it is the furthest thing from that. Emily Hill, current senior at Elon, gives us insight on her experience with self discovery and self love.
What is your opinion on societal expectations?
“We have so many rules and regulations we must follow to meet the expectations of somebody else, whether it is a teacher, employee, parent or friend. Everyone blindly follows in the same footsteps of those before us, attempting to leave a somewhat unique mark on this world before we are forced to leave it. The words written, pictures taken, things invented, everything lacks appreciation, appreciation for a past when life was simple. When one printed photograph was enough. When you would wake up in the morning and not worry about what the day would bring.”
How do you balance doing things for yourself versus doing things for other people?
“It’s alright to be selfish and know what’s best for you. That is what I am teaching myself–how to cope with the balance of doing things for others and then myself.”
What is your view on valuable friendships?
“I am learning the difference in being there for those who truly care and those who don’t. People in your life come and go for a reason. You have to trust that you are letting go of something that is no longer significant at this point in your life.”
What would you say has been your biggest struggle?
“For me, letting stress, anxiety and the judgments of others overcome me. Rejection is a huge struggle factor in life, but at the end of the day, rejection will always occur. It all comes down to perspective and rejection only means you’re strong enough to take chances in life. I’ve learned throughout the years that you have to remind yourself you are truly special. When you try to blend to a person, a culture, a society, you lose sight of you. You lose sight of what you want, because you feel molded by what others want, when at the end of the day, it is about what you want, and what will make you happy.”
What is the most important lesson you’ve learned?
“I’ve realized that even though in the past I’ve seemed to have it all together, that I didn’t quite know who I was. After having an amazing study abroad experience in Florence, Italy, I realized I was not being true to myself the first two years of college. I envy the times when technology and social media were not a huge impact on people’s lives. Nobody cared about each other’s business, everyone was just content with the life they were living. I am teaching myself to replace media time with time spent building real relationships.”
What will be your biggest takeaway as you graduate college and move on to the real world?
“This school has made us who we are today. Elon has shaped me, shook me, molded me and helped me realize who I am meant to be. The best part is I might not be 100 percent right. I’ve realized that I have the power to decide my future. The biggest joy and bliss in life is learning and figuring things out. The best days and the best nights come when things are unplanned and you have to learn to tackle life as it comes to you. My anxiety has taught me the importance of sharing how I feel and to not fear what others think.”
What advice do you have for others?
“As seniors, regardless of what path Elon took us down, we should all walk down the carpet on graduation, receive our diplomas, and look every senior in the eye fearlessly. It is about fully accepting and appreciating the path everyone is on. Every one of us has been through something in our life that has challenged us to grow. While you’re alive, you have to appreciate the people in your life who care, the places you’ve been blessed to go and the beauty of the world we live in.”