Dear Ursinus Family,
If I’m frank, I will not miss this semester. Leading a newspaper, balancing the demands of my course load, and learning In-Design (the layout program we use for the Grizzly) was no easy task. It sometimes left me pulling out the fine hair I do have. One professor in particular, Dr. Sheryl Goodman of the MCS department, taught me never to settle for mediocrity. She continuously challenged my skills and boldly pushed me to excel. She never once doubted my potential everytime I sat in her office, questioning my ability to accomplish assignments, especially that darn Content Analysis! Doing this complex project only reinforced my hatred for numbers, but her cheerleading made me realize that I can fulfill any aim. And for that, I’m forever grateful.
Along with crushing that task, I have a list of short-term and long-term goals in the notes section of my phone waiting to be achieved patiently. I’ve listed things from learning how to french braid to landing an internship at a media conglomerate. Also, I have a list that says: be a better listener, call grandpa more often, etc. Yet, year after year, I can never dig up any resolutions. Since I’ve made it a habit to have an on-going list of goals, the hype behind the New Year’s resolutions seem a bit silly to me.
Goals, big and small, should be practiced day in and day out throughout the trajectory of the year, not merely considered at the beginning. There is too much coercion at the advent of a new year to change, to work out more, to eat healthier. Sound familiar? It’s a laundry list of improvements that can leave you feeling stuck in an unproductive cycle. Instead, broaden your perspective and think about the long-term goals that will invigorate your life, that you can realistically attain.
My hope is that when you put this issue down, you’ll feel more inclined to take action and conquer your greatest ambitions. Much like Dr. Goodman, I have faith in you too.
