Last year around this time, I wrote about my application process & how nerve-wracking it was to wait for the decisions to arrive in the mail. This year, I still remember the anxiety, but it’s slightly harder to write about. Although this is only my second year at college, senior thesis & graduation already seems to be on the horizon, fast approaching. As the semesters at Pomona speed by, I’m now starting to think about what I’ll be doing after May 2013. I’m starting to think about yet another cycle of applications. Graduate school.
The fact that I feel like I’ve just entered undergraduate, and will soon be on my way, has made me reflect & appreciate my remaining time at the college more. Soon, I won’t be thinking about snack at 10:30 PM, classes with my best friend the next semester, or room draw for the next year. Although it may seem that I’m getting ahead of myself, when you find the right fit at a college, the roses don’t ask if you’d like to smell them. You aren’t given many chances to stop, and lingering moments pass before you realize they’re gone.
My advice…as you fretfully wait for decisions to return, or finish up regular decision applications, live in the present moment. Undergrad life will arrive soon enough, but you won’t be able to relive past years. During high school, one of the main things that I focused on was “getting to college”, as though it was an end point. Now, I realize that it was yet another stepping stone, a temporary period in my life that’s meant to allow me to explore, discover, and challenge myself. Once you’ve done all you can do to make those applications great, take a step back and appreciate the blessings in your life now.
Don’t let yesterday or tomorrow use up too much of today. ~Cherokee Indian Proverb