Anna-Catherine Kueng ~ Assistant Editor
From a young age, I knew I wanted to eventually be a college graduate, wife, and mother. As of right now, I am none of those things, but I am getting closer to reaching my goals every day. Also, I have added wanting to become an English teacher to that list as well.
You may think my dreams are too traditional, but I am convinced that I am called to be those things in the future. On the other hand, you may have dreams that are not as traditional, such as wanting to travel the world after graduating or opening a bizarre new business. Whatever your dreams are, I want you to know, they matter. They do not just matter in the future, but they matter in the present too.
If you are in college, or you have been a college student in the past, you can agree with me that it is not always easy. In fact, the school year is rarely easy between excessive amounts of homework, dealing with social pressure, and being away from home. There are days, such as today, where I have spent every waking moment doing assignments. Often times, it feels like I am putting my life on hold because of college. As I mentioned earlier, I want to get married and raise children, but I can do neither of those things until after I graduate. Furthermore, I want to make a difference in students’ lives by being a teacher, but I cannot do that either because I am a student myself.
Sometimes I wonder if school is worth leaving behind where I grew up, leaving behind my loved ones, and leaving behind everything I have ever known. Sure, I love my dorm room, but there are times where I want nothing more than to be in my bed at home. And class is okay, but the time I spend in it does not compare to time spent getting to hike with my sister in the mountains or taking a long run through my neighborhood.
Yet, I know it is wrong to wish my life away because I am not guaranteed one more day on this earth. Every season of life is valuable, but sometimes it is hard to believe that when I am in the middle of writing essays, doing research, and practicing for presentations.
However, when seasons end, I can see how they truly helped shape me into the person I needed to be for the next part of my life. For example, all of the hard work I put into my classes is preparing me to become a teacher and do lesson plans in the future. I may not see it now, but one day I will look back on stressful days like today and remember that I have endured hard things in the past, and I can endure hard things again.
Whatever your dreams are, hold fast to them. You may think you are far away from achieving them, but every part of your life is preparing you for the time when they come to fruition. As the saying goes, just hang in there!