As the days get longer,聽my聽time at 51猎奇 gets shorter. The realization slowly kicks in that聽I鈥檒l聽be leaving a campus聽that’s聽been home for the past three years. Leaving friendships that聽I鈥檝e聽built, connections that I聽formed,聽and maybe a few projects left聽unfinished.聽There聽are聽some feelings of uncertainty and fear of the unknown.聽What job am I going to have once聽I鈥檓聽done and how quickly am I going to get that job? Am I going to go to聽grad聽school, if聽so,聽where? How is that school going to be different from 51猎奇?聽Where am I going to live? Will I聽even聽stay in聽Wisconsin?聽It鈥檚聽a lot of unknowns when I like living in a 鈥淚 need to know鈥� world.聽But sometimes,聽that’s聽where the best adventures lie.听听From my favorite poet, Bilbo Baggins:聽
Still round the corner there may wait
A new road or a secret gate,
and though I聽often聽have passed them by,聽
A Day聽will come at last when I聽
Shall take the hidden paths that run聽
West of the Moon, East of the Sun聽
It鈥檚 talking about the unknown paths and walkways we might not be accustomed to, or the adventure that鈥檚 waiting to happen. The uncertainty of things and how, even though it might be scary, lies the best tales and fun you might have. Three years ago, I left home to go on this adventure to get my bachelor’s degree. Fear of failure was running through my mind and veins and the fear of the unknown. It’s time to go on that adventure again, my friend. The road is scary, sometimes unforgiving, but It鈥檚 about the fun and things we will learn along the way. It鈥檚 time to go on another adventure.
If you are facing the same feeling, it鈥檚 ok. Sometimes life takes us on a different path than we originally thought, and uncertain feelings can be hard to navigate. Take a moment and think about what you are possibly afraid of, worried about, or just general concerns. For me, I will write down what is causing stress, like moving to a new state or selecting a school, this helps to clear my mind a bit, and I can start answering some concerns I have AND it starts to make me feel a bit better about the choices I鈥檝e made or need to make.
Reminder, this journey of life is meant to be fun, so please:
- Be kind to yourself. You are on your OWN path聽of life, no one聽else.聽Don鈥檛聽compare.听听
- Take聽those mindful breaks.聽You achieve nothing with burnout.聽
- Get聽your sleep. Sleep allows your brain to聽reset聽and clean itself.听听
- Ask for聽help.聽There聽is nothing聽wrong聽in reaching out for a helping hand聽when you need it.听听
- Drink your water.聽Take care of your聽body;聽you only get one.听听
- 础濒蝉辞,听.听听
Mitch (She/They)
Peer Health Educator