A short year ago I was preparing to graduate high school and community college. The school year leading up to my graduations was full of preparation, and I did not have much time to process what was really happening. So many things were going on, and I was more concerned about meeting deadlines and planning a party, on top of trying to leave for my study abroad trip. My time was spent very much so in the moment, and it seemed as though I had tunnel vision to the finish line of high school. Now, a year has gone by since graduating and making one of the major life transitions a young adult makes, I have had time to reflect on a few things. My high school experience was by far the best I could have imagined for myself. It created so many opportunities I would have never had otherwise. I received a great foundation to build my education on, and because of that, I am a better student. The teachers and administrators at the Middle College cared about our success and our life outside of academics. They truly were our biggest cheerleaders every step of the way. I look back at the relationships that transpired; every student came from different places with different goals, but we all had the drive to make a difference. It sounds so clichéd, but high school was honestly the greatest time of my life. I made friends that I will cherish forever, and the memories are endless. Not only did I graduate from high school in 2015, I also had the privilege to graduate with my Associate degree as well. Some say community college is not anything like university education, and I will go as far to agree with that statement. I am willing to say it is better. My experience going to my local community college opened even more doors for me. I became involved in campus organizations and had close ties to peers and faculty. Again, the faculty cared and did everything possible to make learning fun and meaningful. The small campus allowed me to know almost every faculty member. I never realized how unique and rare this truly is until I transferred to a university. I got my start at Monroe County Community College, and I would not have it any other way. So, here I am a year later. My last week of my first year at The University of Toledo is here. Although my transition was relatively easy, I know it would not have been as easy if I had gone to a normal high school and then transferred to a four-year university. I always appreciated my educational experiences, but now I appreciate them even more. After talking to other students at school, I have realized that not everyone received the same education I did. Some are struggling with studying habits, writing skills, and time management. These traits were ingrained in me, and the biggest transition I have encountered is meeting new friends and figuring out where I fit in on campus. And if this is my biggest problem, I would say that is okay. My classes have gone well and the challenges of learning how to be a college student has not been a factor. The college learning curve happened simultaneously with the high school support system in place. Many changes happened all at once, and learning how to adapt became second nature for me. Because of this, I could focus on my studies and stay dedicated and true to my work ethic. I am still going full steam ahead in my efforts of learning everything I can and experience as many new things as I can. The quote by Dr. Seuss was the theme of my life last year, and I reminded myself of that daily. It pushed me to look beyond obstacles and achieve tasks I never pictured myself reaching. I have big goals to meet, and nothing is going to stop me. My bucket list is bigger than ever, and I do not intend to quit going on adventures until each and every one is crossed off. Only a fraction of my life has gone by, and I know this is only the beginning of something great for me. The next few years of my twenties are going to be spent earning my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees and seeing the world. I have seen spectacular views across Europe, and I would only hope I could see our own country’s sights and other views around the world. At this point, education and traveling means the most to me, so I am going to make the most of this time because I am going somewhere. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016
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Society justifies the act of criticism. Society thrives on putting someone down just to get ahead and put someone else higher. Critics are everywhere, and it is the time we put them in their proper place. And by putting them in their place, I am not implying to be mean or equally critical of their actions. Critics can be shut down with a smile or act of kindness. The actions of a positive person are intimidating, to say the least, and some people do not know how to act when the reciprocated response is not a match to the criticism. We all know those people who like to throw digs to get ahead and make it seem like your own accomplishments are not worthy of praise. These negative people are compensating for whatever they do not have; I think a dose of encouragement fits the bill. Being an encourager is not always easy, and sometimes I struggle with this. On days when I feel like I am drowning in homework and dealing with fellow peers who are so wrapped up in their own little world to care about someone else, I have to remind myself, they too need the same encouragement I need. My mom once said, “Sometimes you have to muster up your own encouragement.” That got me to thinking. If I show encouragement to a person who is having an equal downer of a day, I am spreading positivity and making my own encouragement by making the day better for a peer. Everyone cannot be a receiver; some people simply have to be the encouragement for everyone. There are always going to be critics waiting to bring you down, and I am here to say that they need to be met with encouragement even in their negativity. Attitudes build a stone wall around a person’s heart. Kindness is the chisel needed to break the wall down and show a person another side to society. I challenge everyone to become an encourager because this transformative personality will begin to chip away at the stone-cold wall society has created to ensure no one feels secure in their efforts. Encouragement is never wrong, and in this, encouragers will rise. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016 I have said it before and I will say it again, I am a dreamer. Dreaming is the best thing I feel I can do for myself. It is the porthole to my future, and it is how I discover my world. In my short twenty years of life, I have had some big dreams. Some of these dreams seemed outlandish, and at times, they seemed too far out of reach to me. Ever since I can remember when I was little, watching Madeline, the cartoon, I wanted to see the Eiffel Tower. In the back of my mind, this would be another pipe dream that every little girl has, but my dream became my reality. Because of this moment, when this huge dream came true, my curiosity and desires to see more places and do more things grew immensely. Now it seems for every item I cross off of my, once short, bucket list, a few more items are added. I want to see the world. I want to live a life with no regrets. I want to be adventurous. Life is way too short to live and never dream. Dreaming leads the soul to new places and makes the heart yearn for places it has never been before. I feel dreaming has allowed me to become a free-spirit who wants to see as many places as possible and discover a new piece of myself with each new place. As I enter a new chapter in my life, I am becoming a different person, I think for the better. I have a new perspective on life and I view things from a more mature angle. Dreams provide me the opportunity to explore and push me to reach new successes. I always knew I had some lofty goals to reach, but through dreaming, I realize my goals will not be what I want them to be if I do not enjoy the journey to achieve them. Sure, some days I walk around with my head in the clouds thinking about what my next adventure will be, or I am thinking about what my future will look like, but this is my therapeutic process for living life. Being a college student in the middle of earning a Bachelor’s degree can be stressful, to say the least, but taking some time out of my busy schedule to gaze into dreamland does my heart well. Dreams keep the days fresh and having dreams always creates something to look forward to. Having countdowns to the next adventure keeps a smile on my face. I enjoy the wait, though, because waiting for a great adventure and a dream to come true, makes it that much sweeter. It makes me so happy to know I will be spending my days living life to the fullest and waiting for my next dream to come true. Somewhere over the rainbow, there are still dreams to be had. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016 In a world that gives a person a million reasons to frown, smile because it could make someone’s day a little better. A smile is a contagious act of kindness, and it creates a chain reaction that could make the day that much brighter. Smiling may not always be easy, but it is always the right thing to do. The hidden story a person carries with them each day may hold great sadness, and the very thing that has the potential to bring happiness to them is simply a smile. You never know who is watching you and could truly use a daily dose of positivity; smiling has the power to influence a person even when you are unaware of it. To me, that is the best way to help a person. Sometimes, not knowing someone was touched by you has the deepest meaning and lasting effect. Smiles are priceless. And you are never fully dressed without a smile, so do not leave the house without one. Spread happiness through smiles. Stay Curious, Kayla ©Inquisitive Perspectives 2016 |
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