Reese S.
If you're reading this, know your hard work has paid off.
As the semester winds down—whether you’re counting down the days until summer break or preparing to graduate—know that every effort you’ve put in has mattered. I know that it can be scary to look at your GPA, and your transcript, or think of all the “failures” that you have experienced this school year. However, do not dwell on that too much. You did the best you could at the moment, and that’s enough. More importantly, you have the resources and support to keep growing and improving.
Maybe you’re graduating and didn't get the job or internship opportunity you wanted. Just know that you are OK. Life is going to throw curveballs at you, but a wise man once told me that “all you can do is all you can do, all you can be is all you can be”. Stop striving for perfection. Don’t compare your path to someone else’s. We are all exactly where we need to be at this moment.
It is also beneficial to look at all your wins—things you have done well or what you have been accepted to.. Maybe you didn’t get into that one school or program you had your heart set on, but you were accepted into others. Be grateful. Sometimes things don't go the way we want them to, but instead the way that we need them to. Personal development and growth is all that we should strive for in this life. Focus on all of the things that you have accomplished or been awarded for. Maybe you’re facing tough decisions about school, jobs, or finances because of all the opportunities you do have. That’s a privilege. To have to choose between multiple schools that you have been accepted to, when others received rejections.Even the stress of choosing your next classes is a privilege because there are people in the world who are being denied education right now. It is a privilege to have to find a new apartment because you received the job that you wanted in a new city.
So if you’re ever feeling stressed or overwhelmed about where you are in life, remind yourself: you’re doing okay. You’re in college, which is hard enough. You’re balancing school, relationships, organizations, internships, jobs, and fun. You may be near the end or maybe you’ve just begun, but your hard work has paid off. Congratulations!
Reese S., Clemson University
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