Congratulations.

I am nearing, or experiencing, a lot of “lasts”.

 

The final part of my term as Vice President of my fraternity.

The final month of college classes in my undergraduate college experience.

The final semester of college golf.

The final week until I turn 21 (I’m just getting old).

 

It’s all, of course, bittersweet.

All of these things are integral to my life (school, golf, fraternity, my literal age).

As I move towards the next stage of my life, I am receiving a lot of “congratulatory” messages.

 

• “Congrats on a good term as Vice President”
• “Congrats on reaching your goal of being a college athlete”
• “Congrats on obtaining a great GPA and getting a collegiate education”

 

I’m thankful for all of those around me who support me.

I always will be.
However, I find myself sometimes poorly receiving these comments.

Not because I don’t appreciate them – I sincerely appreciate every single one.

 

Mentally, I’m stuck thinking of how these congratulations mean the end of something good.

I’m slowly realizing that each core portion of my life will soon be leaving – something that tore me apart in my transition from high school to college.

 

Why was it so hard?

I didn’t do much to get involved at first.

I didn’t reach out my hand to find my identity as life around me changed.

 

I don’t want that to happen again.

As I take a look at the things around me that will be going away soon (college life, golf, fraternity, etc.), I realize that it is going to be hard.

It’s always hard when things change.

However, I want to take two things away from these moments:

• Each congratulatory or supportive message I get reminds me of the people I have and the work I’ve done. It should bring confidence that I have so many people around me and that what I have just had in my life was all successful. My work was good and it didn’t go unnoticed. It’s hard to mentally give myself credit for anything, but at this moment, I’m trying my best.
• I want to take steps towards the next place in my life, instead of being frozen and letting the next place come to me. I talk much about taking “next steps”, so I will work towards taking those steps and moving forward. I may not be ready, but time shows me when it’s time to step.

 

Overall, I’m thankful for this part of my life, but I’m also thankful for life itself.

Life is really hard.

I learn a lot. I hurt a lot. I love a lot.

At the end of the day, things will move…

 

I will move.

 

“Congratulations come with change.”

And both of those things, I am learning, are okay.

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*inspired by MM*

 

NS