As a senior in college, I look forward to the many new beginnings that are fast approaching me—a new internship, new jobs and career to explore, new people to cross paths with, new places to adventure off to, and whatever else “new” that life might bring my way.

I’ve got no clear idea of what I want to spend the rest of my life doing, but I am up for the journey and feel confident that I am not alone during this pivotal moment in life. I am not the only one without a clue or sense of direction and I find comfort in knowing that we are all doing our best to figure it out. We are all hustling to make something marvelous of our lives, big or small, and the only thing we can truly promise to ourselves is take each day at a time and embrace the place where life happens. To live in the present moment, head held high and back to the wind, not worried about the past or future but rather making the most of the very moment at hand.

I’ve been back at school for almost two months now and have been constantly bombarded with questions of my future. “What are your summer plans?” “What does your resume look like?” “How many internships have you applied for?” “Are you graduating on time?” “What’s your next move?” “What’s your 5-year plan look like?”…I barely know what I am going to have for dinner every night so I’m sure you can guess how well answering those questions has been going.

But things got pretty serious when one day I got tired of telling someone that I didn’t have a clue of what I wanted to do. Why don’t I have at least some idea…because I have hopes and dreams as big as the damn ocean but for some reason when I’m asked, “what do you want to do?” I always come up short and default to an answer that is within some broad stroke of communications. Is it because of some social construct that I fear my aspirations won’t be “good enough”? Or is it because I fear failure rather than embrace the opportunity it brings to reshape, refocus or redirect?

Whatever it is, I need to get over it and get over it quickly.

I recently found myself passing time in the library before a lecture class. During this time, I spent the majority of it on my computer bouncing around to randomly selected and suggested philosophical sermons on YouTube. Strange, I know, but it was totally inspiring. One that really struck a chord with me was entitled “What do you want, really?” by Howard Thurman. In this 12-minute audio clip, Thurman shares a very insightful message with his audience and talks of the moment that we ask ourselves, “what is the fundamental thing that I’m after with my life?” What drives us forward? He then explains the two types of people in this world. Ones that believe life to be fixed, hard, pre-determined and finished. And ones of the mind that life of its essence is fluid, creative and that purposes, goals, dreams, ideas, etc. can fulfill themselves because of the fluidity that exists in all life.

Thurman goes on to talk of how people who think of life as fixed and hard quickly exhaust their minds and rarely see the light of happiness and that those who believe in the ebb and flow of this creative life remain inspired and respected. As human beings, it is within our very nature to have a pinned goal or dream, or many, that is of transcendent significance to us. The difference in reaching that goal or dream all relies within the heart and mind of the person. It requires a person willing to put all resources to their disposal, a person unafraid of failure and motivated by all of the challenges along the road. Thurman says that this is the kind of world that honors that journey of the mind and spirit that together can say one thing and be that. This is the type of world that validates the struggle of all dreamers and pushes those dreamers to exceed even their very own limits.

So when someone asks me about my future, I look forward to talking about the pursuit of my passions and the entire unknown that it entails.

Now that my perspective has been adjusted, I am full-heartedly seeking my dreams no matter how unattainable they seem—because to me, that is a life worth living. I hope to get out of my home state and possibly move west, and what better time to do it than now?

No matter what I choose to pursue, I remain hopeful that it incorporates my love for the arts and requires my creativity to be tested constantly. If you too are feeling bogged down by constructs of society, rest assured knowing that this world honors your journey of self-discovery and that there is no “right” path. Always remember to keep an open mind and open heart while exploring the fluidity of the beautiful life you’ve been given. Happiness will meet you along the way.

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman

A change in leadership can be difficult, especially when it is unexpected. In most cases, when a leader needs to be replaced their departure usually comes at an expected time. Usually.

Toward the end of my junior year of high school my football team’s head coach passed away unexpectedly. The news shocked everybody. It not only impacted the football team, but the school and the whole town.

The school had two problems to deal with. The first was to handle the chaos and sadness that surrounded the school. The second was to try to replace a leader. The first problem can be solved with time. The second problem is a more difficult problem to solve.

Replacing a leader is always a hard thing to do.

The school had to replace not only the head football coach, but also a teacher and an administrator. He was the football team’s only head coach in school history.

In his last season, he took the school to the playoffs for the first time in school history. His team was becoming a team that worked hard to get better every day. He was instilling a winning culture. The program was trending upwards and then it all came to an unexpected stop.

The process of finding a new head coach took about two months. There were dozens of applications from all over the country. The athletic department decided to promote the assistant head coach.

As the new head coach he kept most of the coaching staff. He found good replacements for the coaches that did leave. However, he did not continue the culture change. Despite being the assistant head coach and knowing the plan, he did not continue it.

It is understandable for a new coach to want to make a few changes.

But that first year, it seemed like there was no plan or sense of direction. The team didn’t feel as motivated to play for him as they did for the previous head coach.

The difference between the two head coaches was the level of leadership and their emotional intelligence. The first head coach was able to motivate players in different ways. He was also able to establish a relationship with his players that was similar to a father-son relationship. Players wanted to play hard for him.

The second head coach yelled at his players like his predecessor did, but the yelling didn’t have the same effect. And he failed to establish close relationships with his players. The players didn’t have the same desire to play for him.

The team made the playoffs this past season, which was the new head coach’s third season as the head coach. This may mean a plan is in place and a culture of winning is being established. The only way to tell is to judge the program by its ability to sustain success.

Change is hard. Changing a culture under a new leader is even harder. It involves implementing a plan and establishing a culture. Both of these things are easier said than done. But it all starts with having the correct person in charge.

I remember my first Picture day ever. I was 5 years old and my mom dressed me in this bright, flowery shirt that I absolutely hated. I threw a tantrum! I despised that shirt, but I wore it anyways. By the end of the day, I remember all of my teachers and friends telling me that they liked my shirt a lot. My picture looked amazing and it was all because my mom, the one who knows what is best for me, told me to wear it.

I remember the first day of third grade.

All of the students came in with their parents and stood in line for the first bell of the school year to ring. My mom, the minute the school bell rang, kissed me on the cheek before she left. I pulled my face away out of embarrassment. She did not say anything, and smiled at me. Because my mom, the one who loves me unconditionally, knew how I felt before I even understood why I had done it.

I remember the day I got on selected to be in Honor Band in Middle School.

Her face lit up with excitement and joy that even I had not felt for myself. I remember her coming to every one of my concerts even if she had to cancel plans for them. Because my mom, the one who makes daily sacrifices to see her son grow, wanted to see me excel at something I loved.

I remember the first time I failed a test.

I came home in such fear. My mom looked at the test and she was MAD. I was so scared that I ran into my room and locked the door. I began to pray and tear up, I was so scared. Then I heard a knock on my door. Shakily, I opened it to see my mom. She sat me down and explained to me why she got so mad. Because my mom, the one who wants nothing but the best for me, should expect the best from me as well.

Needless to say, I did not realize these things when I was 5,8,9, or 13.

Even now, I don’t understand why she does some things. But my mom has her reasons. Every time she freaks out whenever I drive to Every time she screams out of frustration when I don’t clean my room, I know she means well. I know she doesn’t want her 16 year old son to mess up in the future. Sometimes she can be the most annoying human on the planet, but I know that through all of the bad, she loves me. And I love you too Mom.

Happy Mother’s Day, you deserve it.

Mom… Mother…Ma…Amy… Amy Shay!

Well now that I have your attention, I can start. For one, I want to apologize that I’m not there with you today. I’m sorry my finals schedule sucks. BUT I promise I will make it up to you next week when we’re at the Biltmore. We’re not going four or so months without seeing each other again. It has been too long and I don’t like it.

I don’t even know where to begin.

I could thank you.

I could say how much you inspire me to do better.

I could say how you’re able to pick me up from hundreds of miles away.

I could say how much I love that we can spend all day on the beach doing nothing.

I could say how grateful I am that we have such a good relationship because I know some of my friends don’t.

I could say how much I can’t wait to spend the better part of three weeks with you.

But even all that wouldn’t do you justice.

I hope you know all that you have done for me, which I wouldn’t have enough lifetimes to make up for. I can only hope I can be as good of a mom as you are to the kids I have one day. I hope you Alex, Dad, and Rosie have a lovely relaxing day because you deserve that and so much more. I love you mom and I can’t wait to see you.

Love,

Ashleigh

“There are some people who walk into your life, and you don’t know why they come in … But some people come in at just the right time and change who you are for the better. Sam Dickinson was one of those people.”

Dear Sam,

I remember meeting you my senior year of college at the University of Georgia. We met in a digital marketing session through Richie’s HW Creative Marketing class. We stayed in touch throughout the summer when you were interning at Southwest Airlines before your senior year. I remember asking to set up a phone call with you to pick your brain on content strategy. You were in Dallas at the time and asked me to talk at 7AM. THAT WAS 6AM my time! I remember rolling out of bed, barely picking up the phone to call you in time. A friendship was born, and I had no idea if our paths would cross down the road.

But little did I know, it would only be a few months later …

I remember a LinkedIn message that came into my phone in late July. You told me that you were going to be back in Athens and wanted to meet. We met at the Jittery Joes coffee shop in 5 Points and I was so impressed with your skill set and how you represented yourself as a person. It took me awhile to ask you, “What are you doing this year with your time this school year?” I really felt you could add a valuable skill set to our platform.

Before I knew it, you accepted my offer and came on board our team at Wish Dish.

From the time you have come on to our team, you have helped shape our content strategy. You have helped take my big ideas and make them realistic and actionable. You have helped us form teams and streamline our organizational structure. You have helped me write proposals. You have shaped our content search engine optimization plan. You have helped organize our WordPress system and helped the editors work in unison. You have designed our pitch deck. You helped create our pitch video and design for our Accelerator Applications. You controlled our video in the sound room at our 1 year anniversary. You helped vet people we brought on to the team. Simply the question to ask is, what haven’t you been a part of in the last year?

You have been there for me pretty much every day the last 8 months and been such an asset in making us operate efficiently.  And most importantly, you have taught me what it is like to have an incredible team member, one that treats others as equals, and one that is so well diversified in his skill set. You have been truly remarkable Sam, and I am forever grateful.

Beyond our working relationship, you have taught me to be well diversified in interests.

You have taught me about books that I would have never read if it wasn’t for you. You have showed me the life of Sam the musician. You have shared stories with me about hiking all over the country. You even taught me how to cook lasagna. We watched the Revenant together. We have been hiking together.  Our relationship may have started because of Wish Dish, but it has gained so much more. You are a best friend Sam, one that I am honored to know.

As you venture off to Indiana and work with Sweetwater, I’ll be rooting for your success. I hope you become involved with great musicians up there and learn a lot. I hope you cook the best recipes now that you will have the time and money for adulating. I hope your next chapter is filled with joy. You have worked hard Sam, not just with me, but throughout your life. You only deserve the best.

As a friend, as a workmate, you will always hold a special memory in my heart as I look back on my journey on Wish Dish. Hopefully, our paths will one day cross again.

Thank you.

Sincerely, 

Bryan Wish

Dusk is my least favorite part of the day. As a morning person who loves to see the world come alive with the sun painting pinks, blues, yellows, and sometimes even green across the morning sky, seeing the day end is always slightly sad. Not that a sunset isn’t gorgeous in its own right, mind you. They have their own special beauty, but that time after the sun has gone down and before the stars come out is always a bit depressing.

There was a time when I loved dusk. I was little, and the whole world was my playground. I spent whole days running through the pastures of my grandparents’ farm, terrorizing the barn cats, swinging on a splinter-filled wood swing, and (quite dangerously) exploring sink holes at the back of the property.

Despite all those wonderfully long, gorgeous summer days, the moments I remember fondly aren’t the sunrises when I woke to the smell of my Grandma cooking bacon and making biscuits from scratch or the searing, comforting heat of the Kentucky summer sun as I got sunburnt yet again while playing hide and seek with my cousins.

Instead, it was dusk: that now hated time.

Then, dusk was not the end of another day filled with midterms and stress about my future after graduation; it was the hour of lightning bugs.

Their lights would start slowly: first one, then another. They appeared like magic every few minutes just as the sun sank below the horizon. And then, they’d all light up at once. The pastures were full of them, and my Granddaddy, the man who always reminded me to value life more than anyone, would hand all of the grandchildren a mason jar and set us loose on the fields.

We’d gather our little balls of light into jars, using them to light our way back to the porch where we excitedly told whatever fairy tales we had concocted on the walk, and my Granddaddy would take us on his lap and listen to every single one.

I don’t get much time to enjoy dusk anymore.

On a typical night, I’m rushing from meeting to meeting or longing for my Mom’s cooking as I prepare yet another BLT for dinner. Amongst all the stress, I forget to stop and observe the quiet peacefulness of dusk and remember my Granddaddy’s comforting voice as I told one childish tale after another. But sometimes, I’ll catch a firefly lighting up the night sky out of the corner of my eye, and suddenly, I’m seven years old again.

The world is a magical land filled with happy dusks and adventures through a country field, and all is well, if for only just a moment, amongst the craziness of my college kid life.

Just recently, while attending my class in Organizational Behavior in Sport Management I was exposed to my favorite TED Talk once again. Simon Sinek speaks passionately in his TED Talk called “Start With Why”.

He makes you question everything you have ever learned about what you are doing and why you are doing it. All my life I thought I knew “what” I was doing. When people asked me I proudly exclaimed I was going to high school to attend college, and I would ultimately be the next owner of the Ferris family company.

What I was doing was following the expected path for everyone in the Ferris Family.

It was not until I viewed this TED Talk back in my senior year of high school that I realized I could not explain why I was planning to take over Ferris Brothers Inc. When I viewed it again just recently, I was reassured as to why I was sitting in Professor Belzer’s classroom.

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it”, Sinek says repeatedly. If I wanted to go to college for Sports Management, I had to make my family understand why I was doing it in order for them to support my trek down the path never followed. So maybe I had not invented the next best piece of technology or crafted a detailed business plan for my own company; I still felt the need to make my family buy why I would go to school for Sport Management. Sinek says you must make others believe in why you are doing something in order for them to follow you.

Then one day, once I truly understood for myself, I decided to tell them why. I chose to be a sport management major because I spent my childhood watching my brother play ice hockey. In the midst of my youth, my parents divorced, turning my brother’s life and mine upside down. The only time my family acted as a unit was at my brother’s hockey games.

We sat together consumed in the excitement of every game, stuffing our faces with popcorn, and giggling like my parents actually could tolerate one another.

Never once did I think about the miserable divorce or the awkward silence in my house when my mom was not home to cook dinner at night. Watching my brother play sports brought excitement back into our lives. I looked forward to spending my weekends in the bitter cold ice rink with the love of both parents to keep me warm.

Becoming a Sport Management major would help me to create the same undeniably exciting experience that I had. A sporting event has the power to distract you from real life. It even has the power to turn someone who has never watched sports into the happiest fan in the crowd. The overwhelming energy of the players, the coaches, and the crowd is contagious. Most importantly, sports help you to accept that you cannot always have control over the outcome of a situation.

It’s interesting to note that people ask “what” you are going to school for, never bothering to dig deeper and ask why you planned to dedicate your studies to that field. Asking why reveals so much more about the type of woman I am, the background I came from, what influenced my life. Once someone hears “I am a Sport Management Major,” it is automatically assumed I am going to be the next Jerry McGuire.

They fail to understand my desire to cater to the fans instead of the players. They fail to understand the wonder a game can bring to an entire crowd of strangers, each facing their own struggles outside of the excitement.

My family did just that until I could find the words to tell them why.

The hardest part of deciding how my future career would look was finding out why I was doing it. The second hardest part what getting my family to understand.

If you are interested in learning more about the Start With Why Movement and how they inspire others to do what inspires them, see their website here.

Cancer… That disgusting, evil, dreadful, horrifying, life-changing disease that affects each and every one of us in some way or another.

Why does it exist? I am not really sure. But I do know for sure that we must stand up and battle it until the day that it no longer exists. My very close friend of two years has been battling Stage 4 Liver Cancer for about five years now.

First meeting her, I would have never known she was fighting such a horrible disease because of the smile that she never lets slip away from her face. That smile makes coming back to college after every break only that much harder.

Back in early October, life seemed to be going pretty smooth for her.

She was living the life of a normal nineteen year old. She attended all of her brother’s high school football games and all of the big events in town. She was not letting her cancer affect her in any way.

Then one morning, I got the call that she was being rushed to a hospital an hour from home due to some major complications. I will never forget answering that call in class and completely losing it. I debated on walking out of class to make the five hour drive home to be with her, but I did not know if I was strong enough to get behind the wheel of the car. Until… I got a phone call from her begging me to leave class to come be by her side.

Without hesitation, I took off.

The drive to the hospital was probably the longest drive of my life. There were a million thoughts running through my head, thoughts of overcoming and thoughts of pure sadness. I was not sure if I would make it in time to give my friend that one last hug. I was not sure if I would make it in time to let her know how much I love her.

Thankfully, I arrived at the hospital with a red face and swollen eyes and sprinted to her room. Only to find my friend with that same smile on her face that makes it hard to go back to college after every break. That smile that brings so much joy to my heart. I wondered how she was able to carry this smile while being literally two hemoglobin levels away from death.

I was a bit frustrated with myself because I knew that my sadness and fear was radiating, yet all she wanted was happiness. After arriving at the hospital Tuesday, I did not leave her side until we walked out together with discharge papers in hand and a smile on her face.

Needless to say, her battle with cancer is not over yet. But the moral of this story is to never let your smile slip away from your face. My friend is battling some of the nastiest stuff on this planet, yet she still finds a way to let that smile shine. She can be in the most pain and be filled with so much fear, but she lets that smile shine.

Look into every situation for the positive. For when you can take that view on life, your smile will radiate. It is not just a smile that people see. It is a smile that affects people. It changes people to realize all that they have and to find greatness in the most troubling situations. Be the light of the world by smiling a contagious smile today.

Who knows, that one small smile could change the life of someone who really needs it.

There’s  a story that has greatly inspired me over time. A boy, whose teacher asked the class to write down what they wanted to be when they grew up for homework. The boy then went home and wrote down that he wanted to be on TV.

He turned in his assignment the next day to his teacher, she looked down at him, and then proceeded to call his mother. She told his mom that he wasn’t taking his assignment seriously and that he needed to write down what he actually wanted to be when he grew up, something realistic. Knowing that he was probably going to get a ‘whoopin’ as he arrived home from school, he tried to sneak in, yet he was caught and his mom told his dad to deal with him.

So his dad takes him outside and reads the paper and instructs his son to write down whatever his teacher needs to hear, turn it in, and then keep this piece of paper within reach and never forget it.

So the boy turns the paper in to his teacher and continued to work towards his goal every day and hasn’t stopped yet. That same boy is now the host of Family Feud, the Steve Harvey Show, Little Big Shots, his own radio show, has hosted numerous events, and made a living off his childhood dream.

That same boy is Steve Harvey. It is that same drive, perseverance, and passion that I truly believe burn deep within me and push me to challenge myself each and every day. To risk it all for others, and to continue to fight the good fight. I come from a family of 9 children. A family of more than enough kicking and screaming, bunk beds, and forced sharing.

I am 3rd to youngest, only to my two little twin brothers. A family where each one of us is in our own zone, and had chosen our own paths early in life. But with this I learned what it is like to have your voice drowned out among the noise. When often no matter how hard you try sometimes your voice isn’t heard even though it may be unintentional. It’s no secret that I am a black male, but it’s lesser known that black males only make up 2.7 percent of UGA’s student population.

Out of Georgia’s 30% black population, UGA does not accurately represent the demographics of the state as the flagship institution.

In a school with 35,000 other students it’s very easy to get lost in the wind, and get pushed into the crevices of this great institution. Too often left behind in the march ahead, or silenced among the masses. Coming to UGA and having to adjust to the demographics implored me to find ways to make this campus more diverse in terms of race, truly because I thought many were missing out on what a great college it really is based on stigmas.

I joined organizations like the Black Male Leadership Society, where I later went on to become President, and the Student Government Association, where I’ve been Chief Justice the past two terms. I used the connections I then made to be able to advocate on behalf of minority students and find unique ways to change the campus culture. It is what I have spent a lot of my time doing at UGA and have truly enjoyed every moment of it.

But I wasn’t always the one on the front lines of this battle. I was once deemed as shy or quiet.

Blending in among the crowd like a grain of sand on a beach. It was in the 8th grade when I learned a valuable life lesson as I failed to make the cut for the basketball team. I only wanted to be talented in basketball because it was what seemed cool, and what others seemed to care about.

It had never occurred to me at the time that my eloquent voice could be used for advocacy and impacting the lives of many in a positive way simply because it wasn’t flashy. That is when the switch clicked.

I knew I needed to use my voice for others. But by the way, I did go on to play basketball in high school, in case you thought I sucked. The decision to run for Student Body President came from a place of purpose, a place of passion, a place of hope, and a place of calling. It is that fundamental belief that we are all created equal and no matter how small, or how different we may be, we all belong and not only deserve, but are guaranteed a voice.

If you have ever played in a band you know that although some instruments may be louder and seem to drown out others, each instrument is critical to creating the ultimate sound. I run so that I may speak for the forgotten. To give a voice to the voiceless, and to bring together each and every student on this campus, from all walks of life, to unite as one and speak as one.

From a young age in school and with friends I knew and still feel to this day what it is like to be left out.

And even if one student felt that way, it would break my heart. I will never make promises that I can’t keep in ensuring that each student will have each individual issue taken care of. But I can say that I will spend every ounce of drive in me to strive toward that goal. It isn’t always about jumping to a storybook ending; sometimes you just have to write the first word.

Saying that we are ALL IN  is a very intentional statement. In choosing to run, I have given up internships and organizational opportunities, taken off work, and sacrificed time with family and others. I say that not because I want you to feel sorry for me, because this has been an active choice everyday. I want everyone to understand that sometimes things are bigger than yourself.

It isn’t always about you.

We are all just pieces of a whole picture, stories and snapshots of memories that tell a greater story, and I am here to lift all voices up. I have been told over and over in my life that things couldn’t be done. That I wasn’t going to succeed in areas of my life, and that my dreams and aspirations were too lofty or unattainable. But over and over again, I have proved each and every one of them wrong. I hope to do so again. I want to be an inspiration to each and every other student just like me.

I want to light a fire in every person I come into contact with and to help ignite their passions for what they believe in. Because then and only then, can they be satisfied with the outcome knowing that they gave it their all. I implore anyone who reads this to never give up, write your own destiny, be yourself, find your talent and use it to positively impact someone else’s life, and always, go ALL IN.