Recently, I discovered a new thing to love about fall. No, it’s not pumpkin spice-flavored or cinnamon apple-scented. It’s this wonderful thing that comes along with self-reflection, called gratitude. With Thanksgiving rapidly approaching, everyone is encouraged to express gratitude for the blessings they have in their life. I’ll admit, this sounds extremely cheesy and I never took it seriously when I was younger. I thought that circulating the table sharing what we were thankful for was just a way to encourage my family to be more polite to each other. However, as I sit here as a college freshman looking at all of the exciting opportunities laid before me and the wonderful people around me, I reconsider all of the things in my life that I have to be thankful for.
In high school, it’s so easy to get swept up in a neverending routine that can take the spontaneity and excitement out of life. Now that I am sitting in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, I feel like I am finally out of that four-year rut and am making tangible progress towards my future. Every single week I have found myself in awe, at one point or another, by how truly lucky I feel to be where I am right now. Although I have absolutely no idea of what I want to do with my life professionally, taking a moment to see the copious blessings I have provides me with a sense of serenity in times of stress. I look at the friends I’ve made here or read text messages from my friends back at home and can’t help but think, “damn what did I do to deserve these amazing people?”
Terrified doesn’t even begin to describe how I felt when I first arrived here at Wake. Would I actually go on to apply to medical school in three years? Would I make any friends? I’m not entirely sure about the medical school part, but I can happily say that I am surrounded by the most wonderful people I have ever met. They are the reason I get into these sappy moods where I feel an unsurpassable love for life. Don’t get me wrong, I do have days where they make me want to rip my hair out, but that’s what makes us a family. This Thanksgiving I feel especially grateful for the people in my life and I fully intend on making that known to them. No matter where next semester takes us, I am so thankful for the people and the memories from my first semester.
I believe that an essential strategy for remaining grounded and appreciating life for what it is is to take a moment every now and then to think about everything that you have. This doesn’t necessarily mean material possessions, but rather the things in life that make you feel whole. Sports, friends, opportunities, accomplishments, and anything else that brings you joy. Additionally, if you believe there is something that would bring excitement into your life, don’t be afraid to try it and change up your routine. “New Year’s Resolutions” are not limited to just those two weeks in January when you decide to “revamp” your life before ultimately slipping back into old habits. You are free to and capable of making your life more fulfilling once you discover what it is that results in a feeling of gratefulness.
Trust me, I know how sappy this all sounds. I just want to encourage everyone to appreciate the gifts life has given them and try to find the positive side of every situation. Now that we are past the mushy stuff, my final piece of advice is to enjoy as much of the fall-themed festivities as possible (giving thanks included) before the radio is overflowing with Christmas music and Trader Joe’s breaks out all things peppermint-flavored. And hey, if you think about what you’re thankful for ahead of time, you’ll have plenty to say as you go around the dinner table on Thanksgiving day.