Emma Caroline Brown

Editor

The end of this semester means junior year is officially done, senior year starts in the fall, my first full year as editor for The Spectator is done and now, another year of excitement is ahead.

Scheduling fall classes, scouting out internships and choosing a career path all hang in the balance right now, but it is best to slow down, breathe and stay in the moment. We can get ahead of ourselves if we focus too much on the future to the point we do not stay in the present, which can cause us to miss out on the greatness right in front of us.

Everyone worries about their future; it is a natural feeling, especially when approaching a new chapter of life. I feared starting high school, graduating high school, starting college and getting involved on campus, but now, all of these things have passed, and I have new milestones to conquer.

You may be just starting college, returning to college, transferring to The W, approaching graduation or struggling with what path you want to take in life or your career. Facing new places, people and experiences can be scary, challenging and overwhelming. But once you face your fears and accomplish new goals, you can find new paths leading to new friends, interests and opportunities.

By accomplishing these intimidating goals, you begin to understand that you can take on bigger tasks and build up your self-confidence. The first step in taking on these challenges is to focus on the present and not worry about the varying possibilities of the future.

We are constantly planning and preparing for our future, but we do not know where we will be tomorrow, let alone where we will be in five to 10 years. Things in our lives and the world are constantly changing every day, and sometimes the thought of not knowing the future can send us spiraling.

However, the present gives us comfort in knowing that we have control over who we are, what path we are on and how we conduct our lives right now. It always seems like the world offers us endless choices, but by focusing on the daily choices we make, we can begin to build ourselves up.

Staying in the present can be challenging, but when we do focus on the here and now, we can tackle new challenges with a grounded perspective and not overlook the goodness in front of us.

Ferris Bueller put it best when he said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”