New Beginnings
I was driving home from school the other day when I heard one of my all time favorite songs, Liz Phair's "Why Can't I," on the radio. One of the best things about getting older is that you can relate to the lyrics of so many more songs. You've experienced more emotions, more people, more places, more "things," so you begin to know what your favorite artists are singing about. As the song played, I sang along and the meaning of one verse really hit me: "Isn't this the best part of breaking up, finding someone else you can't get enough of, someone who wants to be with you too?" Yeah, she's talking about a romantic relationship, but that verse really sums up what I'm feeling now, as a recent college graduate (as of last night).
When people ask me if I'll miss EMU, if I'm upset about leaving undergrad life behind, if I'm nervous about the future, I can somehow, amazingly say "No." The last three and a half years of life have been great - I've learned so much, not only in the academic sense, but also in the philosophical, life skills sense. I've had a wide breadth of experiences that make me who I am now, and I am thankful for each and every one. I'm not upset about these experiences coming to an end, though. Instead, I'm excited about having the opportunity to start all over again, as a college graduate. With every end, something begins. And that's what Liz Phair is saying in "Why Can't I."
On that note, I'd like to sum up for readers some of what my undergrad experiences (at school, on the job, and in the bar) have taught me about life.
1) Experience all you can (within the limits of the law and good health). Wether your idea of an adventure is going to the DIA, salsa dancing the night away at the Firefly Club, or parachuting down the side of a mountain in Patagonia (did you see that episode of Man Vs. Wild?!), don't let fear keep you from making the most of life.
2) Talk to people. They are AMAZING! Every person has a story to tell. But most won't share it unless you ask. You can't experience everything there is in this life yourself, so gather what you can from the people around you.
3) Love. That's right, as 1968ish as it might sound, love your family, love your friends, love your coworkers, love your classmates, love people on the other side of the earth, love animals, love the Earth. If you can do that, nothing will ever seem bad again.
And finally...
4) There are two correct answers to "Why?" They are "Why not?" and "Because." "Why not" symbolizes all that is creative, all that is new, all that is young. "Because" represents all that is wise, all that is time-tested, all that is proven true. If you can find a balance between these two answers to life's biggest question, I believe you can be happy.
When people ask me if I'll miss EMU, if I'm upset about leaving undergrad life behind, if I'm nervous about the future, I can somehow, amazingly say "No." The last three and a half years of life have been great - I've learned so much, not only in the academic sense, but also in the philosophical, life skills sense. I've had a wide breadth of experiences that make me who I am now, and I am thankful for each and every one. I'm not upset about these experiences coming to an end, though. Instead, I'm excited about having the opportunity to start all over again, as a college graduate. With every end, something begins. And that's what Liz Phair is saying in "Why Can't I."
On that note, I'd like to sum up for readers some of what my undergrad experiences (at school, on the job, and in the bar) have taught me about life.
1) Experience all you can (within the limits of the law and good health). Wether your idea of an adventure is going to the DIA, salsa dancing the night away at the Firefly Club, or parachuting down the side of a mountain in Patagonia (did you see that episode of Man Vs. Wild?!), don't let fear keep you from making the most of life.
2) Talk to people. They are AMAZING! Every person has a story to tell. But most won't share it unless you ask. You can't experience everything there is in this life yourself, so gather what you can from the people around you.
3) Love. That's right, as 1968ish as it might sound, love your family, love your friends, love your coworkers, love your classmates, love people on the other side of the earth, love animals, love the Earth. If you can do that, nothing will ever seem bad again.
And finally...
4) There are two correct answers to "Why?" They are "Why not?" and "Because." "Why not" symbolizes all that is creative, all that is new, all that is young. "Because" represents all that is wise, all that is time-tested, all that is proven true. If you can find a balance between these two answers to life's biggest question, I believe you can be happy.
posted by Bethany Stawasz at 8:59 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home