Trust in the timing of your life. It’s a phrase that has become my anthem.
A mere few months ago I flipped my tassel from my safe haven of college to the terrifying unknown of the working world. With that single transfer on my graduation cap, I ended one journey and braced myself to begin another.
It all reminded me of the last time I flipped a tassel: my high school graduation. Coming from a tiny private school I had no idea what to expect from college. I knew what I thought I wanted: small, liberal arts school with an emphasis on creativity. Instead, I was handed a huge state university with an emphasis on football, day drinking, and more buses than I’d ever seen in my life. To say the least, I was terrified.
Today, I love UGA with all my heart. But I must confess that I cried the day I signed my commitment, and they were not tears of joy. It was my second-to-last back-up school but free tuition (shoutout to my man Mr. Zell Miller) was too good to resist. Visions of drunk rednecks ran through my brain, hooting and hollering as they waved red and black flags. I couldn’t imagine how I, a conservative goody-two-shoes, would fit into such a place.
But on my first day of orientation, I made a promise to myself: I vowed to be happy here, no matter what. And that’s exactly what I did. That choice made all the difference, changing my attitude and allowing me to see what UGA really was.
And thus began four of the best years of my life, meeting my best friends, becoming involved in incredible organizations, and growing exponentially in my identity and sense of self. (Spoiler alert: I’m no longer conservative or quite as much of a goody-two-shoes). I learned to love cheering for the Dawgs, sweat dripping down my sundress, dehydrated lungs bursting with the chants of the Redcoat band. The cries in that stadium were, for me, an anthem to my love for Athens and for the people who made it home.
And so, as I embark upon this next journey, I am equally hesitant. My tears are not tears of joy. I’m told to “pursue my dream,” even though I have no idea what that may be. The real world looms overhead, bringing with it loads of dollar signs and decisions.
It’s times like these that question us, push us forward, and challenge us to find what we truly stand for. Who are we really? What do we want? How will we change the world? Those are some of the simplest yet hardest questions of humankind. The kind we dedicate a lifetime to searching for the answers.
The universe, or God, or whatever you believe in, placed me where I needed to be four years ago, transcending even my best attempts. That same force will place me where I belong for the next four years. In the midst of this terrifying unknown, that is one thing I know for certain.
Trust in the timing of your life. You are where you are meant to be. Be at peace with that. And don’t forget to enjoy the ride!