Life is about to change. Senior year is quickly drawing to a close, and so much is looming on the horizon. For many, there’s the transition from the rowdy halls of high school to the serious academia of college. For some, a job or career is already in place for after graduation. Others may take some time off from the brain work and stock up on money or blow off some steam. Either way, a large chapter in the book of life is about to end, and the next page may be quite ominous.
Grade school is a time to develop friendships, discover personal interests, and learn about the world around us. The first portion of our lives is spent becoming comfortable with ourselves and our surroundings. Suddenly, things are about to go topsy-turvy.
We’ll be moving out of our parents’ cozy homes– where we’ve played and worked, laughed and cried, eaten and slept for about eighteen years– to live in an unfamiliar room with a complete stranger in an unfamiliar city and somewhat fend for ourselves. We’ll be taking classes, working, practically living on our own, with very little day-to-day help from the people who raised us. We’ll have to fend for ourselves and face the real world, paying our own bills, acquiring our own food and clothes, and making sure we stay on track without the guidance of a parent. Who knows how things will turn out?
There’s reason to be nervous. Finding finances is tedious and somewhat nerve-wracking. Finishing the high school silliness is becoming inane, but the intensity of college is growing ever so slightly ominous. And cutting ties (kind of) with people that filled the first stages of life, while appealing at first, may just turn out to be daunting. Taking care of ourselves in all respects is something that is quite frightening.
There’s also bound to be a feeling of excitement, adventure, and bravado as life moves on to gorgeous campuses and cozy (which may not mean comfortable…) dorm rooms. Oh, the wonder of taking classes that are actually of interest! And there’s always the change in social scene, with parties and gatherings of all kinds. New experiences will abound, and soon, the life of late will be forgotten, or at least ignored, because something better will come along. Ah, how short a time it takes for that…
As we move up the academic ladder, we have to remember that change is inevitable. Life keeps moving; time keeps passing. That’s how things work. We may or may not enjoy where we’re sitting at the moment, but things are going to change, for better or worse. Life will continue, and there will be many sunrises and sunsets. Pretty soon, college will be a breeze, and all the anxiety of leaving high school will be years behind us. Then there will be the transition from college to a career, which could be even more hectic. In the end, there is only one thing to remember:
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.
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