People ask me if I'm on summer yet—I'm not. I'm still in school, but that's okay! I like being productive and having a schedule keeps me grounded and focused. However, this past Memorial Day I had the chance to take a road trip down to Missouri to enjoy the fresh air, sunshine, and definitely the pool. Breaks like those are the best because you get to worry less and rejoice in eachother's company—something I need more than I think. So, yes summer is nearing around the corner and so is June.
There is so much going on in June. May was definitely a busy month for me academic wise, but I have one big trip abroad in two weeks! If you forgot, I am going to France, Spain, and the Netherlands. Other than that, I am finishing up finals and taking advantage of the time I have over seas.
These next two weeks in June I will be working my butt off, finals is in the next week and I have been pushing through all of my assignments and group projects. It doesn't make it easier when all of my friends have already been done with school for the past month.
I'll be honest, I do have a bit of apprehension before going to Europe. It's my first time and only friends I know have been and experienced long distance travel. I know eventually I will get adjusted, but the fact that I don't know how I am going to adjust when I get there can make me worriesome. Before study abroad trips like this one, my instructors meet with everyone to lay down logistics and how everything is planned out—more or less, travelling leads to unexpected delays or obstacles that you just have to adjust to. I'm curious to see how well I can handle these situations and be aware of it.
My goal for June is to just simply enjoy it all by being as present as I can be. I know it will go by extrememly fast and I'm lowkey already missing it because I know this trip will fly by. My plan is to take a lot of pictures, but to control my technology use while I'm there. I know wifi and all that will not be as strong anyway, so making the real memories will be more than enough for me.
Another goal I have while I'm in Europe is to be spontaneous. You know, try new things, say yes to more opportunities, get out of my comfort zone a little, and talk to the locals. There's so much I could worry about while traveling, but that's so much time wasted when I could be enjoying moments freely. I've been in the midwest my whole life, and there's so much to explore out there, I don't want to take it all for granted.
I am really lucky for how far I have come, there are so many things ahead of me. It almost seems unreal at times the things you can accomplish in such little time—and then it's already past you. If I can inspire anyone, I would advise you to think about where you are right now, the things that drive and move you, the people that surround you, and the memories you could be making instead of just looking at your phone and swiping your life away.
What you want is already out there, so how are you going to achieve it?
The most iconic 2005 movie, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, popped up on my Netflix account the other night and of course, I had to watch it and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2. America Ferrera, Blake Lively, Amber Tamblyn, and Alexis Bledel go shopping one day and find a pair of jeans that all magically fit them—a sign from above that all are connected and best friends forever yadda yadda. The moral of the story is friendship and having your close girl-friends around you in times of strife and despair. Whether or not this pair of denim really did anything, the bond was always there.
I don't think I can stress enough just how important having a support system of friends really is. All support systems look different and come in all different sizes. I realize that the friend making process is hard, in all aspects and times of life. For those going to college, it's going to be really hard at first to find your niche and that's okay. Same for people starting a new job, it can seem really hard to find people to relate to and confide in.
Personally, my friend groups are different all around. I have my close family friends, my best friends that I've known since I was very little, my school friends, my PRSSA friends, dog friends—it can be very overwhelming to know that there are a lot of people that know me and it can be tricky trying to keep up with it all. I'm definitely not trying to boast, but you kind of just meet people all over and it takes time to develop those trusted relationships.
You can go through a lot during your life and some very low points, as well. Recently, my mom has been diagnosed with stage one breast cancer, and while that is amazingly lucky news, it could have been worse. She is doing really well and will be going through treatment soon when I'm traveling abroad and within a couple of days we disclose the news to people, I realized just how much love there is around me.
We get so focused on our routines that we forget how much people there are around us who have our backs and would do anything for us. It's sad that sometimes we don't notice until times of dark, but I am so appreciative for the group of friends and family around me that allow me to confide in them.
Something I have noticed in myself is that I do things for other people without expecting them to owe me anything. You know, some people question why I'm fine buying like two of my friends Starbucks or what have you, but at the end of the day someone is going to do the same for me and that's just a trust I find in the people I care about. It's funny because I think my closest friends and I just don't talk about it and we have this telepathy that allows us to trust each other even if we live miles and miles away.
A bond just as magical as a universal pair of pants.
"Patience, young grasshopper," they say. As much as I can hear my dad saying it to me, waving his hand in front of my face to instil some kind of force, the word "patience" has a very negative connotation to it. When our moms and dads told us to "be patient" as kids, we saw it as a punishment. As a result, we obsessed more and sat in discomfort until we got what we wanted or needed. In all aspects of life, waiting is just one of those uncomfortable things we have to deal with. Whether it be waiting for a job offer, exam grade, interview results, etc., I constantly find areas in my life that require very strong acts of patience.
Waiting is hard, but waiting can be the most rewarding. Something as little as waiting for shoes to go on sale or waiting for a better job opportunity—proof in the pudding, waiting has shown to result in better outcomes. So, why do we insist on things happen here and now? Maybe because we think we're just entitled to everything, shouldn't have to wait, do the work, make the struggle, or who knows what. We like certainty and hate not knowing what the future holds.
For a while, I have been trying to figure out what I'm doing in college and what I want to do with my major. Especially with internships and the organizations that I am in, it seems that so suddenly all of the things I was hoping for have just kinda made their way to me and I am quite overwhelmed. I don't want to discredit the fact that I have worked very hard for these things, but it seems too real.
For one thing, I will be going to Europe in less than a month—a dream of mine I have had since I was seven. I'll be leading Her Campus next year, continuing my position on the board of DePaul PRSSA, joining the Bateman public relations campaign, possibly being a writing tutor, and interviewing for upcoming internship opportunities. Already, I am beginning to think that my waiting time has come and I need to make some well-judged and thought out decisions about what I really want to do.
I've also noticed that lately, I have worried so much about the future. Being proactive in goal making and being aware of the choices I make now will have an impact on where I end up is great, but stressing and obsessing over it has made me less present in the work I am doing right now and time just sighs at me. Like Natalie, take a deep breath and chill.
As much as I would love to say that my stress about the future will disappear—it won't. However, I have learned to cope with waiting and being patient; I am appreciating what I got now and putting in the work I'm passionate about, which has made me more so grounded.
You think now you are waiting for something bigger, better, higher, but I can tell you that what you have now is probably just as great. The joy is in the being. I think that honest work and passion prevail. What you do now with your time will be all worth it when you see just how far you come. With that, there are going to be great things ahead, so don't fear the unknown.
"Patience, young grasshopper,"- Master Po, Kung Fu
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