Just striving to be all I can be.
Just so you know, this post is going to be quick and to the point. I’m just venting a little because of one question that’s bothered me for years: how come fiction has to be realistic but real life doesn’t?
I mean, it just doesn’t
Odds are that if you’ve gone to school or listened to any sort of “successful” person on the radio/YouTube/etc., then you know that goals are important. You also probably know that achieving goals are important. It’s fairly common knowledge. But what’s not as well known is the importance of achieving truly individual goals, which can propel you to accomplish other tasks.
Now when I say truly individual goals, I don’t mean plain old individual goals. To be more specific,
[Thankful for the above: my mom and brother came out to visit me in NYC last week]
This Thanksgiving, I’m truly thankful. I’m thankful for those of you who read these blog posts, consistently or not. I’m thankful that some of my posts (especially from The Serious) have benefited these same readers. Aside from this website, I’m thankful for my family (immediate and extended), friends (and acquaintances), and the support that they give me. I’m also grateful for a great many more things this serious in nature…and for a lot of things that aren’t so serious.
So without further ado, here’s a small sampling of the random things I’m thankful for:
Sometimes you just need a break. Previously I’ve written about taking a Sabbath, but sometimes you need to take a break in addition to that. And there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.
When I decided to go to college in NYC, I knew that I that I wouldn’t be able to bring a car. It simply wasn’t prudent. At the time, I didn’t think too much of it. I focused on the pros of not having to drive forty-five minutes to and from school, or another forty-five minutes (in a different direction) to and from basketball practice. I thought about being able to get everywhere – from grocery stores, school, basketball, movie theatres, etc. – via a short walk or train ride. But now it’s even more official than it was after my first month of school: I miss driving.
Back in high school, here in college, and (I’m assuming) professionals in the work place often fail to do it. And if they do, then, like me in high school, it may only be for a couple weeks (if that) at a time. But going to college here in New York City, I have no choice if I want to achieve all my goals and aspirations. I have to squeeze the most I can out of every week.
Before I can do that though, I have to make the most out of every day. Doing this takes a combination of
I hate having to decline something. Whether it’s an invitation to a party, a workout, a study session, or anything else, I just don’t like having to pass up on anything. But amidst all the many activities, opportunities, and challenges that accompany life, I’ve come to understand that it’s okay to say “no” to something. Sometimes it may even be necessary.
Over two months into my college education here in NYC, I’m finally getting into the swing of things. I feel like I’ve almost passed the learning curve. But when I say that I’m not talking about pure academics. Honestly, my college learning curve has been with everything outside of the classroom.
No, this isn’t a religious post by any (well, at least most) measures. This is simply a plea to take a Sabbath, and by Sabbath I mean a day off. It doesn’t necessarily have to be Sunday, but you should strive to take off one day a week.
Why? Because
“Well to be honest, where you go to school doesn’t really matter if you put in your best effort. In college, you get out what you put in.”
Last year was my senior year of high school. And as I explored my college options, this is the answer I’d receive from most every professor at Crown College (an excellent school where I truly discovered my passions and capabilities during my junior and senior years of high school) when I asked them about either staying or moving elsewhere to continue my education. At that point, I felt like I understood what they were trying to explain to me, and I took it to heart. But now, enrolled in The King’s College in New York City, I’m reminded of their words almost daily.