The Start of a New Life

I am writing this after paying my deposit to go to my new college, some, big, hefty dollars being thrown around. It all feels as if the finish line is nearly there, and I’m just teetering on the edge. Many people have dreamt of this moment when they walk out and receive their diploma in their snazzy and fancy white blazer and red tie when they get to leave everything behind and start their new life in a dormitory with strangers. I, like many of my peers, feel excited about this; however, this does feel like a transition easier for some rather than others, me being one of them. The truth is, for pretty much my entire life I’ve been a homeboy, someone who relished the days when my parents went to the store and I could spend the day either playing FIFA, staring at my phone, or merely doing homework. I’m not someone who always wants to go and hang out with my friends and see new places. I felt content always staying home. But now I have to go outside. Not necessarily to touch grass and to be one with nature, but to go outside of my comfort zone and get to know random strangers around campus. In theory, leaving the house would be a special moment that allows me to build my independence and fend for myself. However, the reality is I have no clue how I will be when I meet these new people with different ways of seeing the world, and how I will be able to cope with being in such a different place. Not only do I wonder about what I will discover in college, but also what I will discover in myself. To this day, while I already have an idea as to what I want to study, I continue to feel lost as to what I want to dedicate my life towards, my real purpose in life. I even feel confused as to what kind of person I am or want to be, as I’ve always had to rediscover myself at certain points in my life. I’ve always wanted to present the best version of myself, and so I hope that college will allow me to grow as a person and help me figure out what exactly am I. Before I close out my last Priory Press article, I just want to thank all my peers for these memorable 4 years. Mr. Goldberg mentioned how college will be the best 4 years of your life, but my time spent here will surely be hard to beat. When I first came to Saint Anselm’s, getting to know the people and teachers around me made me realize that I really felt connected, that I was with great people that have similar aspirations to myself. While I am not the smartest of the bunch, I feel honored to have shared classes with some of these incredible people, and I wouldn’t trade the world for it. I’ve had my ups and downs here, but even the negative moments feel like funny afterthoughts, like that time I got pissed cause an 88 in Form IV World History kept me from getting my first honor roll. Oh well. Anyways, I want to bring something up that my mom once told me: turning 18 does not mean I’ve reached the finish line, but rather my journey has only just begun.