With seniors leaving, and the school year coming to an end, it’s time to start thinking about the people we want to be next year. And for graduating seniors, this seems to be even more pertinent.
Once we step onto our future campus, our new story begins, but this time it can be written however we want it to be.
The most important aspect of this “self-invention” is that without our parents there to guide us, we have the opportunity to think more critically on our own.
This allows us to be more open to other ideas, and I think this can become valuable in a time of self-exploration.
A couple of months ago, I was visiting a college campus for an event, and towards the end, I was able to talk to some current students at the university.
After a little while, the conversation drifted towards politics, (but not in a “oh god here we go again” type of thing–it was because Bernie Sanders was visiting the campus that same day).
So this girl I ended up talking to told me something that I realized was missing in my life, and that was: “College was the first time I ever had real intellectual conversations with students my age about topics that are genuinely important.”
It’s strange. I always felt that the conversations I was having with people around me had some sort of importance, but in reality I was just regurgitating back what the adults in my life were telling me.
Not like this is a good or bad thing, considering I respect my parents and teachers, but I never took the time to research current events and form my own opinions.
This is what makes college intimidating– being self-reliant and aware of how we think of things.
It’s always easy to stand on the sidelines of conversations, trust me– I tend to be a culprit of this– but I realized that I’d rather find my own voice.
Obviously it sounds cheesy, as it usually does with this kind of motivational-type talk, but it also rings true.
Once you’re living on your own, you’re on your own, so take advantage of this newfound freedom, especially because politics do begin to matter more as we get older.
I always assumed that my parents would just tell me who to vote for because I’ve pretty much agreed with their political views, but with this upcoming election, there’s so much more at stake for our country than usual.
It pays off to think and take part in conversations revolving around the political storm that’s been brewing for the past year, considering we have the chance to vote this year.
If you’re picturing a group of self-righteous political followers clad in sweater vests dishing out snarky comments, erase this image immediately.
Having a voice doesn’t mean you must become something you aren’t– it simply means you have the ability and responsibility to think for yourself, and to learn how to listen but also stand your ground in the face of disagreement. (I’m not saying no one already does this, but I believe that its importance grows, as we become adults.)
Freedom. This is a major key, (thanks DJ Khaled), because there is a side of this that can also be “dangerous.” Without any adults to keep us in check, freedom of speech can become, quite quickly, an offensive liberty.
That’s why the “thinking critically” aspect to use our voices proves to be an asset we, as future college students, cannot afford to lose.