Living in the Moment
I just entered my senior year of college. It feels like a long time coming. For many, senior year evokes the bittersweet magic of chasing highs with friends, wishing time could stop as you gaze at the sunset over a hill. It’s the last year to clutch onto your youth as tightly as you can even as dribs and drabs of it slowly float away into the ether, and you turn your head towards the abyss of the future.
“The future”. Such an amorphous concept. Now, it wouldn’t help to start spiraling into planning this and that, worrying about bills and housing and the perfect job. After all, there’s no use pondering about what could happen with so many unknown variables, when maybe you haven’t even started planning for whatever the next step of your life is.
The thought of planning for the next phase of your life feels daunting, however big or small it may be. Whether you’re a prospective student thinking about applying to Tufts, a freshman or sophomore planning for summer internships, or a senior thinking about what your life may be post Tufts, life is full of uncertain events that are looming on the horizon and which are impossible to predict. Things could go totally the way you didn’t expect and you could be disappointed, like not getting your dream internship or job or college. But also new opportunities could pop up on the horizon that might’ve suited you even better instead.
Wherever you are in your stage of life, be present in the moment. Instead of thinking about what should happen or heaping all your expectations on what could be, take small but steady steps towards your goals. Find solace in the fact that you can’t control the future, but you can control what you can do to get towards your goals. And even if something goes wrong, find a way to turn it around and turn it into an opportunity.
If you’re a senior in high school right now, maybe you fear you won’t get into the college you wanted to, but don’t feel discouraged. You will find a school that’s right for you, even if you didn’t realize it right now. Even with the stress of college applications, find time for hobbies and social events. Enjoy high school, for all its ups and downs, because you only have it once.
If you’re a college freshman or a sophomore, you might feel like you need to join as many elite clubs, find an internship, find a lab, or explore all the opportunities Tufts offers and take it all in as quickly as possible. (Spoiler alert: you won’t be able to). Choose a couple of clubs and/or research, including ones a little out of your comfort zone! You’ll be surprised at what you’re capable of. Only stick to a few and make the most out of those.
If you’re a senior in college, either graduate school or finding a job weighs heavily on your mind. Maybe you’re dreading the loss of the support system college brings. All the more important to take time to treasure the friendships you have, hoping they’ll carry on for life, and the times you spend together. I’m sure many of you will not miss the exams and stress of finals. (Probably you will). And May 2025 starts the beginnings of the life that you will build. Wherever you may be, you will be fine.
Let’s go for our goals, wherever you may be! And remember to enjoy the ride!